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HISTORY OF THE PILGRIMS. 



/A«/ THE ^^J^^^ 

HISTORY OF THE PILGRIMS; 

^^ OR A jf^ 



FIRST SETTLERS OF NEW ENGLAND. 



" showing to the generation to como the praises 

of the Lord, and his strengtji, and hid wonderful works that ho hath 
done." — Asaph, 



REVISED BY THE PUBLISHING COMIVUTTEK. 




BOSTON 



PRINTED DY T. K. MARVIN, FOR THE 

MASSACHUSETTS SABBATFI SCHOOL UNION. 
Depository, No. 47, Cornhill. 



183L 



DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS to wit: 

District Clerk^s Office. 

Be it remembered, that on the twenty second day of March, 
A. D. 1831, in the fifty fifth year of the Independence of the United 
States of America, Christopher C. Dean, of the said District, has 
deposited in this Office the Title of a Book, the right whereof he 
claims as Proprietor, in the words following, to wit -. — 

"The History of the Pilgrims; or a Grandfather's Story of the 
First Settlers of New England, ".,... showing to the genera- 
tion to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his won- 
derful works that he hath done." — Asaph. Revised by the Publishing 
Committee." 

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, 
entitled " An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the 
copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of 
such copies, during the times therein mentioned :" and also to an 
Act entitled "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, an Act for 
the encouragement of learning, by securing the copiesof maps, charts 
and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the 
times therein mentioned ; and extending the benefits thereof to the 
arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." 

TNO W DAVIS S ^lerk of the District 
JJNO. W. UAVlto, I of Massachusetts. 



/ 






HISTORY OF tJtJ^ PiLGRIMS, Sec. 



INTRODUCTIO]?r. 

*' For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare 
lh3'self to the search of their fathers; shall not they teach thee, 
and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart 1" — Job. 

On the shores of Massachusetts Bay once 
lived the venerable Mr. Allerton. In early 
childhood he became pious, and amidst all the 
concerns of middle age, he maintained the char- 
acter of a devoted servant of Christ. As he ad- 
vanced in years, he grew in piety, till at the age 
of seventy-four he was generally known by the 
name of Father Allerton. 

This appellation was given on account of his 
patriarchal character ; but it was not unsuitable 
in other respects. He had been the father of 
nine children, five of whom lived to the age of 
manhood, and were settled in the neighborhood 
1 



6 HISTORY OF 

of their father. These young families grew up 
around their sire, like thrifty shoots about the 
moss-covered trunk of an aged tree, drawing 
nourishment from the old s'tock. Especially 
did the grand-children of this patriarch receive 
many a lesson of wisdom from his experience. 
He took great delight in conversing with chil- 
dren, and would sometimes collect all the little 
folks of the neighborhood at his own house, on 
a winter's evening, or a summer's afternoon, and 
relate to them what happened in his young days, 
and what his grandfather told him when he was 
a child. In this story-telling way he usually 
made his little hearers feel, that in order to be 
happu, they must be good. 

Madam Allerton, too, had an excellent faculty 
of gaining the good will of the young, though in 
a different way. There was not a child in the 
neighborhood which had not received some 
small token of affection from her hand. These 
little presents, though trivial in themselves, 
were well adapted to gain the love of children ; 
and as they grew up to manhood, this childish 
affection also grew into a strong and lasting 
esteem. Their own children, as I before said, 
had reached the age of manhood, and one after 



THE PILGRIMS. 7 

another had left their father's house to become 
heads of families themselves. Yet this aged 
couple were not left alone. Two or three of 
their grand-children were constantly with them, 
to attend to their wants. 

I once had the pleasure of spending a kw 
days in this interesting family, and mean to give 
my youthful readers some account of that visit, 
especially of a conversation that passed, respect- 
ing the Pilgrims of New England. But I can- 
not expect that it will be as interesting to you, 
my children, as it was to me, unless you keep 
Father Allerton in view, and attend closely 
to what he says. Even then you will not see 
his silver locks, and the wrinkled features of his 
smiling face, and that mild eye of his, which was 
many a time moistened with tears, as he told a 
tale of suffering. — I say you cannot see all these 
circumstances, which very much increased the 
interest of his conversation. 

It was late in the afternoon when I arrived at 
the old mansion. I had seen Mr. Allerton once 
before, when a lad of sixteen ; but as a number of 
years had passed away since that time, I supposed, 
of course, that he had forgotten me long ago. In 
this, however, I was happily disappointed. For 



8 HISTORY 6P 

he no sooner heard my name, than herecollected 
me at once, and alluded to several circumstances 
of that yhort visit, which I had quite forgotten. 
Every body hkes to be remembered by those 
with whom he once was acquainted ; but if our 
former acquaintances, after a few years of sepa- 
ration, treat us as strangers, we are obliged to 
conclude that they never felt very much attached 
to us ; for weak attachments are soon forgotten. 

I was early taught to respect the aged, espe- 
cially, if they were good; but the venerable ap- 
pearance of this patriarch, filled me with a kind 
of sacred reverence. I shall not stop to give a 
particular account of the family, but will just 
say that it consisted of Father Allerton and 
his wife, and two grand-children; — Edward, a 
promising lad about hoelve years old, and Eme- 
line, a rosy faced girl o^ ten. 

The remainder of the afternoon was spent in 
friendly conversation, in which the children also 
joined with becoming modesty. Soon after tea, 
Emeline whispered something in her grand- 
father's ear, which drew from him a very affec- 
tionate smile. 

** Does Edward, too, wish to hear it now 1" 
said Mr. Allerton. 



THE PILGRIMS. 9 

" Yes Sir," replied the blushing girl, '* if you 
think best to relate it now." 

Then turning to me, the old man remarked, 
** I have usually spent this hour of the day in 
the business of instructing the children. Yes- 
terday I promised them the story of the Pil- 
grims to-night. And (looking upon Emeline) 
I am pleased, my daughter, that you remember 
the promise ; though perhaps it may be best to 
defer it till another time, and talk about some- 
thing else this evening." 

The prospect of hearing this venerable de- 
scendant of the Pilgrims relate their history, gave 
rae unbounded pleasure ; for I said ** days should 
speak, and multitude of years should teach wis- 
dom." And as he paused and seemed in doubt 
whether to go on W'ith his usual instructions, or 
defer them on my account, " I should rejoice," 
said I, " to be one of your hearers this evening 
on that subject. The history of New England's 
first settlers has all the interest of a novel to 
me." 

" And much ?nore," said Mr. Allerton with a 
look that reproved me for using that word in 
this connection ; ** much more, I trust, than any 
1* 



10 HISTORY OF 

mere fiction. The interest that is felt in a novel 
arises chiefly from a supposed resemblance be- 
tween the representations of the writer, and 
things of real existence — unless, indeed, the taste 
of ihe reader has been so perverted by the study 
of fiction, that it has lost its relish for the plain 
realities of life. Now if a fictitious show of 
great and virtuous deeds can interest us, how 
much more interested must we be in a true nar- 
rative of such deeds! And where will you find 
a record of events so remarkable as the simple 
story of our Pilgrim Fathers ? History does 
not furnish it — -fiction cannot produce it." 

I was preparing to make an apology for letting 
drop such a foolish comparison ; but the bright- 
ening up of the old man's countenance as he 
touched upon the Pilgrims, and the deep earnest- 
ness with which he pronounced the last senten- 
ces, made me forget my apology, and every thing 
else but his promised story. 

" I am constrained," said I, " to add my own 
earnest request to the wishes of the children, 
that you would give us an account of those 
worthy men this evening." 

" My usual method of instructing these chil- 
dren in such subjects," said Mr. Allerton, '* I 



THE PILGRIMS. H 

fear will not interest you ; for I always endeavor 
to make myself fully understood : and for this 
purpose I encourage ihem to ask questions and 
offer their remarks as I proceed." 

** In this way," said I, ** you find it easy, I 
presume, to keep their attention, and they too 
will be more likely to rememher your instruc- 
tions. Perhaps, Sir, you will allow me the 
same freedom of inquiry ?" 

*• Ocertainly," returned Mr, Alierton. " Eme- 
line, you may speak to Edward and tell him we 
will go on as usual this evening." 

Etneline hastened away with an air of peculiar 
satisfaction. As she closed the door I said, 
** The little girl seems wonderfully interested in 
the business ; has she ever read much about 
the Pilgrims?" 

*' Very little," said he. " In truth. Sir, there 
is no account of them, that I know of, written in 
a style suited to the young. Mather's Magnalia 
which has the very pith and marrow of this sub- 
ject, you know, is written in such a tedious style, 
and is arranged in such a disorderly manner, 
that very few persons even of adult years have 
patience to read it. Though by the way, let me 



12 HISTORY OF 

tell you, Sir, no body was ever a loser by read- 
ing Dr. Cotton Mather's Magnalia through." 

** What other authors," said I, *' would you 
recommend one to read, who is desirous of look- 
ing after the early history of this country?" 

3Ir. AUcrton. Why, there is New England's 
Memorial, an excellent book, by Nathaniel Mor- 
ton ; and Hubbard's History of New England. 
Purchas' Pilgrims and Johnson's Wonder-work- 
ing Providence are good. In Prince's Chrono- 
logy too, you will find much that is valuable, 
but siill inore in the Massachusetts Historical 
Society's Collections. Others might be men- 
tioned, but even these which I have named are 
much neglected. Every son of New England 
should at least keep Morton's Memorial by him, 
and be familiar with its contents." 

" Mr. Morton, I think," said I, '' was the Old 
Colony's Secretary, for some time, was he not?" 

" Yes, for the space of forty years," replied 
Mr. Allerton ; " and a faithful, industrious Sec- 
retary he was, too. We are much indebted to 
him for his care in preserving many valuable 
records, which would otherwise have been lost. 
There is now in the first church of Plymouth, 



THE PILGRIMS. 13 

a volume of church records in the hand-writing 
of Secretary Morton, which he gathered up from 
the origin of that church in England, and kept 
with great care till 1680, just before his death. 
In this he has recorded many interesting events, 
which are no where else to be found. Every 
such scrap of information respecting the Pilgrims 
is becoming more and more important as we get 
farther away from their times." 

*' The remark of Livy,'' said I, " concerning 
history in general, seems especially true of the 
history of New England ; * It furnishes us with 
striking examples of virtue, which we may easily 
set before us as models of imitation.' '^ 

" Yes," said Mr. Allerton, " models, too, of 
the highest excellence. We are compassed 
about by * a cloud of witnesses.* The prin- 
ciples and practices of our forefathers, and the 
remembrance of God's dealings with them, should 
be carefully preserved and handed down to pos- 
terity, * that the generation to come may know 
them, even the children which shall be born, 
who shall arise and declare them to their chil- 
dren ; that they may set their hope in God, and 
not forget the works of God, but keep his com- 
mandments/ " 



14 HISTORY OF 

At this moment Edward and Emeline came 
into the room and took their seats near the 
ancient arm-chair of their grandfather; Mrs. 
Allerton, too, was ready by this time to sit down 
with her knitting work among us. 



THE PILGRIMS. 15 



CHAPTER I. 



'' Let children hear the mighty deeds, 
Which God perform'd of old : 
Which in our younger years we saw, 
And which our fathers told." — Watts. 

Mr. Allerton. Well, my children, you are 
expecting now to hear me tell about the Puri- 
tans, I suppose. 

Ediuard. It was the Pilgrims I believe, 
grandpa', that you was going to tell us about this 
evening— those men who first settled in New 
England. 

Mr. Allerton. You are correct, my child ; 
they both mean the same persons. I called 
them Pilgrims, for that is the name by which 
they are generally known, because they left 
their home and became " strangers and Pilgrims 
on the earth," like those Old Testament patriarchs 
mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. 
But still these same first settlers of New England 
were all Puritans. So that you will sometimes 
hear them called by one of these names and 
sometimes by the other. 



16 HISTORY OF 

Emeline. Why were they called Puritans ? 
What does Puritan mean 1 

Mr. Allerton. You have asked a very proper 
question, Emeline. And I will begin their story 
by answering it. When Queen Mary reigned 
over England the common religion of that king- 
dom was the Roman Catholic ; and the Protest- 
ants, or those who dared to protest against it, 
were persecuted without mercy. 

Here Emeline wished to know if it was that 
same Queen Mary uho once burnt Mr. John 
Rogers alive. 

** The very same," said Mr. Allerton. " You 
recollect the picture of his burning in your 
Primer." That wicked queen caused a great 
many other good men to be imprisoned and 
burnt. But God did not suffer her cruel reign 
to last more than five or six years. After her 
death, which happened I believe in 1558, her 
sister Elizabeth became queen of England. 
She was a Protestant, and therefore the per- 
secution against the Protestants was stopped. 
Many good people who had fled into other coun- 
tries to escape Mary's cruelty, returned home 
again after her death. As soon as Queen 
Elizabeth began to reign, the Roman Catholic 



THE PILGRIMS. 17 

religion began to sink, and Protestantism was 
established in its stead through the kingdora. 
Do you know the difference, Edward, between 
the Roman Catholic and Protestant religions? 

Edward. The Roman Catholics, I believe, 
have a Pope, and the Protestants have not ; and 
the Pope thinks he can pardon sinners ; and I 
have heard that they worship pictures, and pray 
to Christ's mother. Is it so 1 

Mr. Allerton. Yes, and they pray to other 
saints in heaven beside the mother of Christ,, 
and worship their images. They believe that 
their Pope cannot do wrong, and look to him as 
their religious, or spiritual Teacher. On this 
account their rcligioo is often called Popery, 
and .sometimes Papacy. The Popish priests 
are all obliged to wear a particular kind of 
dress when they perform religious service, and 
they have a multitude of idle ceremonies in 
their worship, which I must not stop to explain. 
You said the Protestants had no Pope ; is this 
the only difference between them and the Catho- 
lics ? 

Edward. I never have known much about 
the Protestants ; only you said just now, that 
2 



18 HISTORY OF 

they protested against the Roman Catholic reli- 
gion. 

Mr. Allerton. It is not strange that you 
should never have heard much about the Pro- 
testants, for they are not often called by that 
name. And yet ice are Protestants ourselves. 
There are several kinds of Protestants. There 
are the Episcopalians, the Presbyterians, the 
Congregationalists, the Baptists, the Methodists, 
and some others, who are all Protestants. Those 
who lived in England in the time of Queen 
Elizabeth were Episcopalians, or the Church of 
England, as they are often called. I need not 
stop here to tell you any thing very particular 
about the church of England, for you will see, 
as T go on with the story of the Pilgrims, what 
kind of a church it was at that time ; though I 
am happy to say that they are very different now, 
especially those who live in this country. 

A great many of the unholy ceremonies and 
practices of the Catholics were laid aside when 
Elizabeth began her reign ; for she forbid them to 
be used in the Episcopal worship. Thus a 
reformation commenced, and good people hoped 
and believed, that all those unscriptural customs 
of the Popish church would soon be cast out 



THE PILGRIMS. 19 

entirely. But the queen did not wish to have 
such a thorough reformation in religion as many 
of her people desired ; and this made a dissatis- 
faction. She still kept some of the Popish rites 
and ceremonies in the Protestant form of wor- 
ship. For example, the members of the church 
were still required to kneel at the sacrament ; 
and the ministers must read their prayers in 
public worship from a book called the Liturgy, 
which was made for that use ; and they were 
obliged also to dress in the same kind of robes 
when they preached, that the Roman Catholics 
wore. These things were a grief to many good 
people, who wished to worship God in spirit and 
in truth ; for it looked to them like a part of 
Popery. They begged the queen, therefore, 
and the bishops, to put off these " marks of the 
Beast," as they called them. But their petitions 
were scorned. Some of these conscientious 
persons next entreated that they might be ex- 
cused from these customs themselves, even if 
others did observe them. But the only answer 
they got was a new law, that threatened severe 
punishments upon all who would not conform 
to the established mode of worship; and the 



20 HISTORY OF 

reproachful name Puritan was given to these 
scrupulous complainers. 

Enieline. It was a nickname then, was it not, 
grandpa'? Is it right for us to call them Puri- 
tans ? 

3Ir. Allcrton. It was certainly a nickname, 
as you say, and was meant as a term of reproach 
upon all who complained that the common form 
of religion was not pure enough for them. But 
the holy character of those who bore this name 
soon made it respectable in the eslnnation of 
every good person. And many now think it an 
honor to be called the descendants of the Puri- 
tans. 

*' I have always wondered," said I, "that 
dueen Elizabeth should have been so resolute 
for tliese Popish forms ; for I believe that she 
once hardly escaped persecution herself, from 
her Roman Catholic sister." 

Mr. Allerton. It is less wonderful when we 
consider how proud she was of her royal authority. 
She would seldom be advised by any one, and 
could not bear to think of following the advice 
of the humble Puritans, although she acknoW' 
ledged that the Scriptures no where enjoined 
these forms of worship. 



THE PILGRIMS. oj 

The effect which such hard treatment had 
upon the Puritans was just such as we might 
expect. It made them feel still less inclined 
to obey the queen, and conform to the Church 
of England ; for every such act convinced them 
more and more that their opposers were wrong. 
It seemed to them that they were persecuted 
for righteousness' sake. But still they were 
unwilling to make a disturbance. They only 
wished to have some customs laid aside which 
had been borrowed from the Roman Catholics. 
And they would no doubt have gained their 
point if their opposers had listened to reason. 
But the queen and her bishops were provoked 
at the perseverance of the Puritans, and alarm- 
ed at the increase of their numbers; so they 
determined to put them down by force. A law 
was passed, as I told you just now, requiring 
all to worship God in the same manner. Fines 
and punishments were threatened against those 
who refused to conform. Forty-four men were 
appointed, who were called an Ecclesiastical 
Court, with full power to try, condemn and 
punish, in any way they pleased, all who would 
not obey the laws of the Established Church. 

But still Puritanism increased, and the Puri- 
2* 



22 HISTORY OF 

tans grew more and more determined to wor- 
ship God in the way that seemed to them right. 
Some began to leave the Episcopalian meetings 
on account of those forms that were practised 
there, and to meet by themselves in dwelling- 
houses, or in the fields. At last a law was 
made, that any person above sixteen years old, 
who refused to attend meeting in the regular 
place of worship for the space of a month, 
should be cast into prison ; that if he still re- 
fused to attend for the space of three months, 
after being condemned for the first offence, he 
should leave the country and go into banish- 
ment ; that if he did not leave the country im- 
mediately, or if he ever returned home again, 
he should be put to death as a criminal. 

By such severe laws men of high standing 
and influence were turned out of office, because 
they were suspected of favoring the Puritans ; 
many of the most godly ministers were forbid- 
den to preach, and others were put in their 
places ; persons of fortune were ruined by enor- 
mous fines ; the prisons were filled with con- 
scientious Puritans ; and some were actually 
put to death. 



THE PILGRIMS. 23 

Emeline. Was there no way for them to get 
clear of all these sufferings? 

Mr. AUerton. O yes ; they might have es- 
caped them all by giving up their religion. If 
they could only have consented to do what they 
fully believed to be wrong, they might have lived 
at home without any of these troubles, and had 
a plenty of this world's riches and honors. But 
would you have advised them to do so? 

Emeline looked very thoughtful, but made no 
reply. After a few moments' pause Father Al- 
lerton proceeded. 

The Puritans loved the comforts of this life, 
no doubt, as well as we do ; but they looked be- 
yond them, and saw a better portion in heaven ; 
and they had rather part with all they had here 
than to lose that. They were sorry to disobey the 
laws of the queen, but still they would do it rather 
than break the commands of God. They dread- 
ed to be imprisoned here; and yet they would 
lie in prison all their days, rather than be shut 
up in the prison of despair forever. " When 
we are in our graves," they said, '* it will be all 
one whether we have lived in plenty or in want; 
whether we have died on beds of down, or on 
beds of straw. Oqly this is the advantage of a 



24 . HISTORY OF 

mean condition, it is a greater freedom to die. 
And the less of comfort any have in the things 
of this world, the more liberty tliey have to lay 
up treasures in heaven." 

Edward. If they really believed that it was 
wrong for them to worship God in the way that 
the queen directed, I cannot wonder that they 
should rather suffer anything than do it ; but 
still would it not have been better for them if 
they had left England and gone into some other 
country, as you said the Protestants did when 
Mary was queen ? 

Mr. Allerton. A great many of the Puritans 
did go into foreign lands. But just consider for 
a moment how trying it must have been for them 
to think of forsaking that sweet home where 
they were born and brought up, and that dear 
country where their fathers had lived and died, 
to spend the rest of their days in a distant and 
strange land. Just suppose, for a moment, that 
we were now in their situation — in danger of 
being thrown into prison or put to death like 
criminals, if we stay in this country. You ad- 
vise us to flee away. But we cannot carry our 
house and land with us, you see ; and still we 
shall need a house and some land wherever we go. 



THE PILGRIMS. 25 

Then we must sell our property here, and sell 
it to our persecutors too, for what they please to 
give us. Well, after we have sold our house 
and furniture, and land and cattle, for just what 
they please to give us, and have collected to- 
gether all we can carry, and are ready to leave 
this neighborhood — never more to return again — 
which way shall we go? We must not think of 
stopping in the next town, for we should not be 
out of danger there. If we should go from Mas- 
sachusetts into the next State, there we must 
not settle. Should we travel to the farther end 
of this cotintry and stop, we could live in no 
more safety there, than we can here. Tell me 
now, my children, what we must do ? 

The children looked at each other, then at 
their grandfather, and then at each other again, 
but said nothing. 

We might go off, continued Mr. Allerton, into 
the woods, and live among the Indians ; but I 
suppose you would rather not go there. Well, 
then we must go on board a vessel and sail 
across the ocean to some distant land. There 
we should be out of the reach of persecution, 
perhaps ; but we should find ourselves amongst 
strangers, who live in a very different way from 



26 HISTORY OF 

what we do ; and ibey would speak a language 
which we could not understand. They would 
know nothing about us, and very likely would 
care nothing about us. Then we should think 
of the iiome we had let't, and those who once 
came to see us, and whom we loved. 

'* O dear, Edward," sighed Emeline, *' how 
hard it would be to be driven away from home 
in this manner, and never be allowed to come 
back again !" 

** I know that," replied Edward, in a thought- 
ful mood, " but still I think it would be harder 
to suffer such things as the Puritans endured 
at home." 

Mr. Allcrton. Emeline is of the same opinion, 
I presume, and so were the Pilgrims. There 
was a tinj'' once when they would have felt 
happy to^escdpe from their country and home. 

" What !" said I, *' were they not allowed 
to live at home in peace, nor to go into exile 
either?" 

** It was certainly so," replied Mr. Allerton, 
*'as you may see by consulting the old records 
of the first church in Plyuiouth, which are still 
preserved in the hand-writing of Secretary 
Morton." 



THE PILGRIiMS. 07 

" We have thus far talked about the Puritans 
in general. 1 am now going to speak of those 
in particular who became * pilgrims on the 
earth,' for religion's sake — those worthy men 
who first came to this country, and from whom 
we are descended. But before I proceed, my 
children, to tell you any more, I will just see if 
you remember well what I have already said." 

Having made this remark, Mr. Allerton asked 
them the following questions, which the chil- 
dren answered in a manner that showed how 
well they had given their attention. 

In what country did the Puritans live? What was the re- 
ligion of England while Queen Mary reigned ? What was her 
character ? Who was the next queen ? What was the estab- 
lished rehgion during her reign 1 Why were the Puritans dis- 
satisfied ? What request did they first mak( '', How was it 
treated ? What did they do next ? How werciey answered ? 
What was the consequence of such laws? How did the Puri- 
tans bear this treatment? Now, my children, tell me what you 
think of these Puritans yourselves ? 



28 HISTORY OF 



CHAPTER II. 

" And others had trial of evil mockings and scourging-s, yea, 
moreover, of bonds and imprisonment ; — being destitute, afflicted, 
tormented : of whom the world was not worthy." — Paid. 

'' Rise, O my soul, pursue the path 

By ancient worthies trod 5 

Aspiring view those holy men, 

Who liv'd and walk'd with God." — Needham. 

When Father Allerton had examined his 
grand-children on what he had told them, and 
heard their reflections on the Puritan character, 
he then proceeded with his story. 

Mr. Allerton. My children, I cannot express 
to you my feelings as I call to remembrance the 
names of Robinson, Brewster, Carver, Bradford, 
Standish, and a host of others, " who," like the 
ancient worthies of whom we read, " through 
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, 
obtained promises — escaped the edge of the 
sword, out of weakness were made strong." I 
remember, too, that some " were tortured, not 
accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a 
better resurrection." I say when I call to re- 



THE PILGRIMS. 29 

.lembranoe these Fathers of New England, and 
reflect that we are their children, my feelings 
are too deep for utterance. We are sitting here 
very comfortably this evening, and hardly know 
the meaning of want and distress ; but all these 
comforts were bought at a dear expense of 
suffering. However, they are now at rest in 
heaven 

The old man paused here to wipe away a 
tear, that had b^en gathering while he spoke, 
and which now began to trickle down his 
wrinkled cheek. 

Thcy^ I say, are now in heaven — those weary 
Pilgrinis are now at rest from all their toils. 
But, my dear grand-children, I beg you to con- 
sider, as I tell you their story, how many obliga- 
tions you are under to them ; and how you 
ought to maintain their pious character and 
follow their holy example. 

The Rev. John Robinson was the minister of 
that church which first came over to these shores 
and settled at Plymouth. He was born in Eng- 
land, in the year 1575. Very little is known of 
his early life, except that he was educated at the 
University of Cambridge. He is said to have 
been a learned, pious, and polite man, and had 
3 



30 HISTORY OF 

a very modest and meek disposition. When he 
had finished his studies he setiled in the north- 
east part of Enghmd as an Episcopalian minister. 
But he soon became a Puritan, and sutiered all 
those kinds of ill treatment, that fell to the lot 
of the Puritan clergymen generally. In the 
year 1602, several pious persons in those parts, 
seeing their ministers forbidden to preach be- 
cause they could not consent to follow all the 
customs of the Episcopalian Church, arul finding 
themselves greatly oppressed in the ecclesiastical 
courts, determined to leave the Church of Eng- 
land, and to form a new and independent one 
by themselves. In the first place they solemnly 
promised to each other " that they would walk 
with God and one another in the enjoyment of 
God's ordinances, according to the New Testa- 
ment pattern, whatever it might cost them." 
Mr. Robinson was -their minister. 

" But was this the commenccmtnt," said I, 
*' of Independent and Congregational churches, 
and was Mr. Robinson their founder?" 

3Ir. Alhrton. These were the first, and 
the only men in England then, that dared to 
come out in this bold manner; and, of course, 
they were now exposed to greater severities than 



THE PILGRIMS. 31 

ever. But they were not at all discouraged, for 
they had long been accustomed to hard usage, 
and bore it with Christian courage. 

Edivard. How many do you suppose there 
were of them 1 

Mr. Allerton. Their number was quite small 
at first, so that they all met in a private house 
on the Sabbath. But they increased so fast, 
that two congregations were soon formed. Mr. 
Robinson preached to one, and Mr. John Smyth 
to the other. Mr. Robinson's church used to 
meet at the house of Mr. William Brewster, who 
took great pains to accommodate them, and was 
at much expense. 

Emelitie. I recollect you mentioned his name 
just now, with a number of others; I should like 
to know more about Mr. Brewster. 

Mr. Allerton. This is not exactly the place 
to give you an account of this worthy Pilgrim; 
however, a few things may be said of him here. 
He became pious quite young, and was sent to 
College. ^ After he left College he was employed 
to assist Mr. Davison, who was a great man in 
dueen Elizabeth's time. Mr. Brewster went 
with liim to Holland on some important business, 
and on their return home, Mr. Davison gave him 



82 HISTORY OF 

a gold chain as a mark of respect for his wisdom 
and f\iithfuiness. He lived with this nobleman 
some time, and then went home to his friends in 
the north of England, where he was highly es- 
teemed as a gentleman, and a Christian. Here 
he did much good to the cause of Christ by giv- 
ing both his time and his money. He was one 
of the first who commenced the formation of a 
new church, and was afterwards chosen a 
ruling elder in it. But I will tell you more 
about this good man by and by. 

After Mr. Robinson's church had suffered 
many things from their cruel persecutors — some 
being thrown into prison, some driven away 
from their houses, and others forbidden to leave 
them — having endured such kind of treatment 
for the space of seven or eight years, they at 
length resolved to leave their country and home, 
and seek a shelter in Holland. This was the 
only place then where they could enjoy religious 
liberty. But when it was known that they talk^ 
ed of leaving England, public orders were given 
to prevent them, and the ports and harbors were 
watched night and day. However, they ven- 
tured to hire a ship, and agreed with the captain 
to take them in on a certain day, and at a par- 



THE PILGRIMS. 33 

ticular liour of the day. They were punctual at 
the time, but the captain did not come till the 
following night. And when he had received 
them all on board, he basely delivered them and 
their goods over to the town-officers, with whom 
he had before agreed to do so. The poor Pil- 
grims were immediately searched and plundered, 
and carried back to the town. There they were 
marched through the streets and insulted by the 
gazing multitudes, who came flocking from all 
quarters to see them. They were next thrown 
into prison, where they all lay for a month ; and 
Mr. Brewster, with six others, was kept much 
longer. 

Echcard. Why did the queen wish to keep 
them in England ? 

Mr. Allerton. The queen, my child, was 
not living ; she died several years before. King 
James was now on the throne. 

Emclinc. Did he hate the Puritans too ? 

Mr. Allerton. He did, even worse, if possi- 
ble, than Elizabeth had done, although he had 
lived among them in his younger days, and pre- 
tended to be their friend before he became king. 
But as soon as he got the kingdom, the Puritans 
were treated with more cruelty than the Roman 
3* 



34 HISTORY OF 

Catholics. And yet these same Catholics tried 
every means in their power to set up their own 
uuholy religion, and to deiitroy Protestantism. 
I will just state one fact to show you how they 
behaved. Soon after James was crowned king, 
they laid a j)Iot to kill him and all the great men 
of the kingdom together. They secretly put 36 
barrels of gunpowder under the house where the 
king and these men were to assemble, intend- 
ing to blow them all up at once, and to charge 
it upon the Puritans. Tiiis gunpoivder plot 
was discovered just in time to break it up. But 
although it was known that the Roman Catho- 
lics had done it, still the king did not seem to 
be so much enraged against them, as against the 
pious Puritans, who had done him no harm, but 
were trying to do good. But you wished to 
know, Edward, why they wanted to keep them 
in England. Truly, it appears surprising that 
they should, seeing that they hated them so 
bad. Perhaps the king thought, if he kept 
them in England and punished them there, that 
others would be afraid to become Puritans. 

" How slow men are," said I, " to believe 
that the real children of God never can be 
frightened out of their religion !" 



THE PILGRIMS. 35 

Mr. AUerton. Yes ; but those who tliink 
they cat! force Christians to give up their re- 
ligion, are generally strangers to true godliness 
themselves. They are sensible that tkei/ would 
forsake their own religion if they had to sutfer 
for its sake, and therefore they suppose others 
would do the same. This I take to be the rea- 
son why men are so slow to believe on this sub- 
ject. If King James had known anything of the 
power of true religion himself, he would as sooii 
have though to smother the fires of a volcano, 
as to quench the spirit of Puritanism. 

In the following spring the Puritans made 
another attempt to leave England. TJiey told 
their story to a Dutch captain, and he promised 
to take them from a lonely beach where nobody 
would be likely to know it. The women and 
children and goods were sent there in a small 
vessel, and the men travelled by land, so as to 
avoid any suspicion. They came to the place a 
day before the ship arrived, and as the sea was 
rough, and some of the women sick, the sailors 
put their vessel into a small creek. Next morn- 
ing the ship came; but the other vessel was 
then aground, and they were obliged to wait till 
the tide came before they could get her off. In 



36 HISTORY OF 

order to. lose no time the captain of the ship sent 
his boat to take in the men who were on shore. 
It happened just as they had got one boat load 
of men on board the ship and were going back 
after more, that the captain saw a great com- 
pany of horsemen and foot soldiers, coming arm- 
ed from the country. So fearing that he should 
get himself into trouble for carrying off these 
Puritans, he declared that he would stay no 
longer ; but immediately hoisted sail and was 
soon out of sight. 

Echvard. But what did he do with that boat 
load of Pilgrims he had taken into the ship ? 

3Ir. Allerton. Why, he carried them off with 
him, for he durst not stop to land them. Thus 
the men on board the ship were separated from 
their families ; wiih no other clothes than what 
they had on their backs — and no money in their 
pockets ! They wept bitterly, and begged to 
be set ashore ; but weeping did no good — away 
they must go, just as they were. A dreadful 
storm arose soon after, and the ship was driven 
far away from her course. The storm lasted 
two weeks, and for seven days together they 
saw neither sun, moon, nor stars. The terrified 
sailors once thought the ship was actually going 



•THE PILGRIMS. 37 

to the bottom, and shrieked out, " ive sink! tve 
sink J'' Meanwhile the Puritan passengers, in 
this awful seen;', with calmness cried, "yet 
Lord^ thou canst save ! ytt Lord^ tlum canst 
save J" God, who *' rules the raging of the 
sea,^' heard their cry and sent them deliverance. 
" He made the storm a caJm, so that the waves 
thereof were still," and they arrived safely in 
Holland. The people there were astonished to 
see them come, for they supposed the ship must 
li^y^e been lost in such a dreadful storm. 

Emeline. But what did become of those chil- 
<3ren and their mothers who could not get into 
the ship? What did the soldiers do with them? 

Edward. Was Mr. Robinson there^ or did 
Sie get on board ? 

Mr. Allerton. My children, I wonder not 
that your thoughts fly back so soon to the shore 
■.where we left the rest ; for there, after all, was 
the scene of deepest distress. Mr. Robinson 
and some others, like brave generals, waited to 
see the feeblest on board before they went them- 
selves, and so were left. The men all escaped, 
except a few who staid to assist the women and 
children. Wives were weeping after their hus- 
bands, whom the wind was novy v/afting from 



38 HISTORY OF 

their sight into a land of strangers. Children 
were clinging to their mothers, and shrieking 
out with fear at sight of the rough looking sol- 
diers. O it was pitiful ! but there was no pity 
there. The kind voice of charity might have 
soothed the weeping throng ; but instead of it, 
persecution raised her hideous voice, terrible as 
death. The hard-hearted soldiers laid hold upon 
these afflicted mothers and their terrified chil- 
dren, and hurried them about from one place to 
another — from one officer to another. Some 
were for putting them all in prison. But this 
would not do ; for even their enemies felt that it 
was unreasonable to imprison so many women 
and children for no other crime than being 
obliged to go along with their husbands and 
fathers. Others advised to send them home; 
but this was impossible ; for they had sold all 
their property, and had no homes to go to. 
After they had been harassed about in this 
manner for some time, their keepers were glad 
to get rid of them in any way, and let them go, 

Echoard. I should think every body must 
have pitied them, even if they did not like their 
religion. 

Mr. Alkrton. Your remark is just. We 



THE PILGRIMS. 39 

naturally feel for beings in distress, whether they 
are men or beasts. And those who persecute 
others, always injure their own cause, and gene- 
rally help those very persons whom they try to 
hurt. It was so in this case. The meek and 
Christian spirit with which the Puritans endured 
all these sufferings induced others to become 
Puritans, and their numbers were considerably 
increased by this means. At length, by courage 
and perseverance, they all crossed the ocean, 
and joined their friends who had gone before. 

Emetine. How rejoiced they were, no doubt, 
when they got away from all their troubles, and 
met together once more ! 

3I)\ AUerton. Do not suppose, my child, that 
they entirely escaped from trials when they es- 
caped from England. Nobody ever gets clear 
of all trouble till they get into heaven. The 
Pilgrims seitled first in Amsterdam, a large city, 
full of people, where they had business enough, 
and were able to gain a good living. But still 
they were not very well pleased with the place. 
So when they had lived there one year, they 
moved to Leyden, about twenty miles south from 
Amsterdam. 



40 HISTORY OF ( 

Edward. What was the cause of their mov- 
ing ? You said they had good business there. 

Mr. Allerton. There were some religious 
disputes at that time amongst the people of Am- 
sterdam ; and Mr. John Smyth's church, which 
had come there from England the year before, 
was very much disturbed by them. Mr. Robin- 
son was afraid that his own people would be | 
drawn into dispute, and being a very peaceable 
man, he advised them to remove to Leyden, j 
which they did in 1609. i 

" It is rather remarkable," said I, " that such [ 
a humble, quiet-minded man as Mr. Robinson 
appears to be, should have been a leader among 
the Puritans ; especially when we consider that ' 
he lived in an age of dispute." 

3Ir. Allerton. But, Sir, you know that he 
who can dispute the best, does not always have 
the most influence with his fellow men. I be- 
lieve you will find it to be a general fact, that a *i 
meek and pious life, like that of Jesus Christ, J 
and bis apostle John, is the most convincing ! 
argument that a man can bring in favor of true 
religion. Mr. Jlobinson led such a life. But 
then he was abundantly able to dispute, too, | 
when he had occasiori for it. Indeed, there 



THE PILGRIMS. 41 

were few men, who could stand before him in 
argument. I will mention one fact which will 
show this. 

While the Pilgrims li^ed in Leyden, the Ar- 
minian doctrines began to spread in Holland. 
The children here don't know, I suppose, what 
these doctrines are ; but you will probably know 
some lime or other. I will just remark to you 
now, that the Arminians believe men can obtain 
heaven by their own works, without a new heart; 
which the Bible contradicts. Well, there was a 
learned man in Leyden, whose name was Epis- 
copius, and he was an Arminian. He gave out 
word, that he would dispute publicly, with any 
body, and prove that the Arminian doctrines 
were true. Although there were many learned 
men in Leyden, nobody dared to dispute with 
Episcopius. The Pilgrims came to Mr. Robin- 
son, therefore, and wished him to dispute with 
him. But he told them he was a stranger there, 
and should rather be excused. Yet when they 
convinced him that the truth was in danger from 
such a learned opposer as Episcopius, and that 
the cause of Christ was likely to suffer, he con- 
sented to dispute with him. So when the day 
came, Mr. Robinson went into a great public 
4 



42 HISTORY OF 

assembly, and defended the truth so well against 
his opposer, that the Arniinians felt beat. This 
was done on three different days : and all the 
pious people there prarsed God that the truth 
had gained such a victory over error. 

But I must go on with the story. When the 
Pilgrims removed to Leyden, they knew that 
they must work harder for a living, than they 
did in Amsterdam. But they expected to live 
in greater peace, and to be better able to train 
up their children in the fear of the Lord. "J'his 
last thing seemed to them of more consequence 
than money. They lived ai Leyden about eleven 
years. In all this time they hired a meeting- 
house, where they worshipped God publicly in 
their own way. 

Edward. I suppose their enemies in Eng- 
land could not distress them any more, could 
they? 

Mr. Allerton. No, not much : and yet they 
tried to injure th^m in one way and another. 
They sometimes endeavored to make the people 
of Holland believe that the Puritans had run 
away from home because they were criminals. 
I recollect one fact, which I will mention. Soon 
after they came to Amsterdam, William Brad- 



THE PILGRIMS. 43 

ford, a young man about eighteen years old, was 
seized by an officer one day, and brought before 
the judge. Some wicked passenger, who came 
in the ship with him, had told the officer that he 
ran away from England as a rogue. But when 
the judge heard the true cause of his coming to 
Holland, he was well satisfied, and let him go. 
Such false stories did them no harm in the end. 
Their neighbors saw that they were peaceable, 
and industrious, and honest; and therefore they 
helped the Puritans in many ways. Their num- 
bers increased every year by the coming over of 
others from England, till they had a church of 
300 members. And now they began to think of 
removing to America, and came in the year 1620. 

Edward. Why did they come away from 
l^eyden, grandpa' ? I thought they liked that 
j)lace. Did they have any difficulty with the 
people there ? 

Mr. Allertnn. None at all : though this story 
was reported by some of the English. On the 
contrary, the magistrates of Leyden gave this 
honorable account of them just before they left 
that city. " These English^'' they said, ''have 
lived among us ten years ^ and yet we never had 
^ny suit or action against any of them," Nor 



44 HISTORY OF 

was it on account of a roving disposition, that } 
they came. There was nothing they so much i 
desired on earth as a fixed home. But ihey saw | 
that Leyden was not to be their continuing city. | 
It was so hard to get a living there, that many \ 
who came over from England to join them, soon ■ 
spent all their property, and were obliged to go ; 
back again, or else live very poorly. Even the 
Pilgrims themselves began to feel that their 
strength was wearing out by hard labor. And i 
this hard way of living caused many of their •! 
children to leave them and go to sea or into the i 
army, when they grew up. This was a grief to "j 
their parents; but what grieved them most of 1 
all was, that their children were in danger of 
being drawn away into wicked practices by the 
evil examples of those around them. The holy 
Sabbath was much neglected in Leyden, and the 
young people there were growing wicked. They 
heard also that America was full of poor, igno- 
rant Indians, who never heard of Christ ; and 
they longed to carry the glad news of a Saviour 
to them. This was one of their principal reasons 
for wishing to come here. 

Emelinc. Did nobody but Indians live in 
America then % 



THE PILGRIMS. ^5 

Mr. Allerton. Yes, the Spaniards took pos- 
session of South America in a very cruel man- 
ner, and began to live there alsnost a hundred 
years before. But they had not done much with 
the Indians except destroy them. The English 
had attempted to settle in North America at 
several different times ; but as they never came 
for any other reason than to get riches, they 
were soon discouraged and went back again. 
In the year 1G07, which was about thirteen 
years before the Pilgrims came, an English com- 
pany settled at Jamestown, in Virginia. But 
they were in a very weak condition at the time 
we are speaking of, having been almost destroyed 
by famine and the savage tribes around them. 
It was in the northern part of the country, be- 
longing to this Virginia company, that the Pil- 
grims wanted to live, and where they would 
have gone, if the captain who brought them over 
had not deceived them. 

But your question, Emeline, is carrying me 
ahead of my story a little. I was speaking of 
the reasons which led the Puritans to come 
here. You see that they were moved by reli- 
gious considerations chiefly. They determined, 
4* 



46 HISTORY OF 

in the first place, to worship God in the way that 
they thought was right, ivhatever it might cost 
them; and then to find a place where they could 
do it peaceably and leave the same liberty to 
their children. They turned their eyes towards 
America, therefore, and were willing to live in 
such a howling wilderness as this then was, if 
they might but gain this blessing. Accordingly 
they sent Mr. John Carver and Mr. Robert 
Cushman to England, to get leave from the king 
to settle in America. 

Edioard. What did he have to do with it ? 
Did America belong to the king of England? 

Mr. Allerton. No, my child ; King James, 
in reality, had no more right to this country 
then, than the Emperor of China has now. It 
properly belonged to the Indians, who lived here 
when the continent was discovered. But when 
Columbus discovered it, the kings of Europe 
pretended that they had a right to all the places 
which their own people saw first. And as no- 
body then disputed them, they called these places 
their own. The English claimed all this part of 
America, because it was seen first by them, and 
gave the Virginia company leave to settle where 
they did. 



THE PILGRIMS. 47 

" What do you think, Sir, of this kind of 
right?" said the old man, turning to me. 

" 1 was thinking," said I, " while you spoke, 
how ridiculous it would luok to see the inhabi- 
tants of some distant island come to these shores, 
and claim our continent as their own, because 
they had just discovered that there was such a 
continent. Or suppose that a number of Indians 
had sailed over to Europe just before Columbus 
came here, and had pretended that they had a 
right to all the countries there, because they 
discovered them — what would the people there 
have thought ?" 

" Arid yet," returned Mr. Allerton, " they 
would have had the same right that the English 
had to this country. But so it was, and the Pil- 
grims sent two of their number, as I before said, 
to obtain a charter from the king." 

Emcline. What is a charter^ grandpa' 1 

Mr. Allerton. A charter is a writing, which 
shows that the owner of it has certain rights and 
privileges granted to him. The charter that the 
Pilgrims wanted was a writing from the king to 
show that they had a right to some land in 
America, and liberty to make their own laws, 
and worship God ao they wished. But it was 



48 HISTORY OF 

denied them, because they were Puritans ! 
They tried again, and persuaded some of the 
great men of the nation to help them. Some- 
times they met with encouragement, and again 
were disappointed. Some spoke well of them, 
and others ill. Thus they were tossed between 
hope and fear. After spending a great deal of 
time and money, they at last gained a promise 
from the king, that they might have a parcel of 
land in America after they had lived upon it 
seven years : that he would not disturb them if 
they lived peaceably ; but he told them at the 
same time, that religious liberty would never be 
granted them by his authority. 

Many of them were in doubt whether it would 
be safe for them to go with such a charter. A 
day of fasting and prayer was appointed ; for the 
Pilgrims always followed this direction of Solo- 
mon — " In all thy ways acknowledge him, and 
he shall direct thy paths." Mr. Robinson 
preached a sermon, on that fast day, from 1 Sam. 
xxiii. 3, 4. Emeline, fetch the Bible and read 
that text. 

Emeline brought the Bible and read, " And 
David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid 
here in Judah : how much more then if we come 



THE PILGRIMS. 49 

to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 
Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. 
And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go 
down to Keilah ; for I will deliver the Philistines 
into thine hand." 

" I guess Mr. Robinson advised them to goto 
America, did he not ?" said Edward. 

" Why," said his grandfather, " what makes 
you guess so?" Edward. 

Edward. That text seems to speak encour- 
agingly. 

Mr. Allerton. But that text, you see, was 
spoken to David. It was David whom God there 
promises to assist, and not the Pilgrims. 

" Yes," said Edward, after sonie hesitation, 
" I know it was ; but does not God assist all 
others who are like David ?" 

Mr. Allerton. Exactly so, my child. All 
who obey him, may dej)end on his protection ; 
while those who transgress his commands, ought 
never to take encouragement from his promises: 
for he never made a promise of good to one who 
disregarded him. " Them that honor me, I will 
honor; and they that despise me, shall be lightly 
esteemed." The Pilgrims meant to honor God^ 



50 HISTORY OF 

and therefore they felt encouraged, no doubt, by 
the promise in that text. 

After this day of solemn prayer, they made up 
their minds lo go forward, and trust in Divine 
Providence for that protection, which they could 
not obtain from King James. And when you 
have heard their story through, you will see that 
David was right, when he said, " It is better to 
trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in men. 
It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put con- 
fidence in princes." 

But I suppose I ought to stop here, and give 
you the rest at another time ; for the clock has 
just now struck eight. 

Upon this, I looked up to the clock, which I 
had not before thought of, since he began his 
story, and was surprised to find, that a full hour 
had passed away since the children came into 
the room. 

"And, I think," continued Mr. Allerton, "you 
must be tired of sitting here, by this time. And, 
if you are tired, you cannot be so much inter- 
ested in my story ; and if you are not interested 
in it, you know, you will not remember it so 
well." 



THE PILGRIMS. 51 

Here the children both answered together, 
sayinor, that they were not tired — that they could 
remember all he had told them — and should be 
glad to hear more, if their grandfather was 
willing. 

Mr. Allerton. It seems very desirable, to be 
sure, my children, that we follow the Pilgrims 
across the ocean to these shores, before we leave 
them for the night, if your grandmother thinks it 
will do. 

Mrs. Allerton was very ready to give her con- 
sent, that the children might be gratified ; though 
she told them, at the same time, she feared they 
would grow sleepy. 

Mr. Allerton. But let me see if you remem- 
ber the story as well as you think you do. 

Tell me about Mr. Robinson's early life and character. 
When and why did his people form a new church ? Where 
did they meet on the Sabbath, for seven or eight years 1 Tell 
me what you remember about Mr. Brewster. What was the 
first trouble they met with in removing from England to Hol- 
land ? What befel them the next time they tried 1 Did they 
ever get to Holland 1 Why did they ihink of coming to 
America ? What difficulties did they have in gettmg a 
charter ? 



52 HISTORY OF 



CHAPTER III. 

'' For ye are not as yet come to the rest, and to the inherit- 
ance, which the Lord your God g-iveth you." — Moses. 

Break forth in songs, ye trees, 
As through jour tops the breeze 

Sweeps from the sea ! 
For on its rushing- wings. 
To your cool shades and springs, 
That breeze a people brings, t 

Exiled though free. — Pierpont. f 

31r. Allerton. When the Pilgrims had deter- 
mined upon removing to America, the next thing | 
was, to agree among theniselves who should go \ 
first : for they could not ail leave Holland very ! 
well at once. On the whole, it seemed best that 
the younger part of the congregation, and their 
families, should go before the rest, because they ] 
were strong, and better able to bear hardships : ; 
and that the others should live in Holland till a 
settlement was begun in America. As soon as 
this question was settled, those who were to go, 
immediately set about getting ready for their 
voyage. Several of the richest of them sold 



THE PILGRIMS. 53 

their estates, and put the money together. With 
this, they bought one small ship in Holland, 
called the Speedwell, and hired another larger 
one in London, natned the Mayflower. When 
all things were ready for their departure, the 
whole congregation joined in keeping a day of 
fasting and prayer. On that solemn day, Mr. 
Robinson preached from these words of Ezra 
viii. 21. " I proclaimed a fast there, at the 
river Ahava, that we might afflict our souls be- 
fore our God, to seek of him a right way for 
us, and for our little ones, and for all our sub- 
stance." 

After this, they left the city of Leyden, ac- 
companied by most of their friends, and went to 
a small town called Delft Haven, where the 
Speedwell lay waiting for those who were going 
in her. The other ship, and all who were ex- 
pecting to sail in her, were at Southampton, in 
England. The Pilgrims spent one night at 
Delft Haven, in Christian conversation, with 
very little sleep. The next day, which was the 
2d of July, 1620, the wind being fair, the Pil- 
grims went on board, and their friends went with 
them. O, it was hard to part ! for they knew 
not that they should ever meet again in this 
5 



54 HISTORY OF 

world ; as indeed many of them never did. 
Tears, and sighs, and prayers, and blessings, all 
mingled in this parting scene. Even ti.e stran- 
gers who stood upon the shore, could not help 
weeping at the sight. But the wind and tide, 
which wait for no one, did not allow them to 
stay any longer; so falling down upon their 
knees in prayer, their beloved minister corn- 
mended them to the care of that God, who was 
able to keep them safe amidst all the dangers of 
the deep, and the perils of the wilderness. 
They then embraced each other, and parted. 
The Speedwell, with a fair wind, was soon out 
of sight, on her way to Southampton ; and Mr. 
Robinson, with those who remained in Holland, 
went back to Leyden. 

Emellne. But I thought Mr. Robinson was 
going with them. Didn't they have any min- 
ister then 1 

Mr. Allerton. Mr. Robinson wanted to go, 
but as the largest part of his church stayed be- 
hind, he thought it was his duty to stay with 
them, till they all should go. But just as the 
Pilgrims were going to sail, he wrote them a very 
kind letter, in which he gave them much good 
advice. He said he should still be present with 



THE PILGRIMS. 55 

them, by his love and earnest longing after their 
welfare, (hough he was constrained for a while 
to be bodily absent ; and that he had much rather 
bear his part of their first difficulties, if he were 
not held back by strong necessity. " Make ac- 
count of me, in the mean time," says he, " as a 
man divided in myself with great pain, and hav- 
ing my better part with you." But their elder, 
Mr. Brewster, went with them. 

Emelinc. Does elder mean minister? 

Mr. Allerion. No ; not exactly. Elders, at 
that time, were persons chosen to assist the min- 
ister in ruling the church, and taking care of it. 
On this account, they were called ruling elders, 
to distinguish them from ministers themselves, 
who were sometimes called elders. They were 
required to be wise and good men. It was a 
part of their business, to see that the members 
of the church behaved like Christians, and to 
reprove them if they did not. Mr. Brewster 
used to do all this, and much more. After they 
left Holland for America, he preached to them 
regularly on the Sabbath, and prayed with them 
when they were sick, and did all that a minister 
£;ould do. 

J^et us now follow these Pilgrims on their 



^ HISTORY OF 

watery way across the ocean, and see what befel 
them there. On the 5th of August, the two 
ships sailed from Southampton, but they had not 
gone far, before the Speedwell beaan to leak, 
and the captain said he was afraid to go any 
farther. So both ships returned, and the leaky 
ship was examined and mended. Again they 
set out together, and sailed about three hundred 
miles, when the same ship hegan to leak again : 
and back they had to go the second time ! 

Efhoard. How discouraging this was! It 
really seemed as if Providence opposed their 
going to America. 

Mr. Allerton. We must be careful, my son, 
how we take wrong views of Divine Providence. 
When we succeed well with any undertaking, 
we cannot be certain from this, that God is 
pleased with our doings : for prosperity has 
ruined many a person. Nor when we are dis- 
appointed in our plaris, can we tell from this 
alone, that God dislikes our conduct : for the 
greatest disappointments often turn out to be the 
greatest blessings. Sometimes God seems to 
disappoint his people, on purpose to wean them 
from this world and fit them for heaven. You 
remember what troubles pious David had, and 



THE PILGRIMS. 57 

what he said respecting them. " Before I was 
afflicted, I went astray ; but now have I kept thy 
word." The Pilgrims thought all these trials 
were sent for their good, and therefore were not 
discouraged. Tiie whole company judged it 
best to leave the leaky ship, and 10 let as many 
of her company get into the other vessel, as could 
be accommodated there. The Mayflower could 
not take them all, therefore some must be left. 
So here, you see, was another sad parting. 

On the 6th of September, the Mayflower, 
commanded by Captain Jones, put to sea for the 
last time, all alone, with 07ie hundred and one 
Pilgrims — a small and feeble band — crossing a 
stormy ocean — late in the year — a terrible win- 
ter coming on — their wives and children with 
them — going to a strange and savage land !— 
Precious cargo ! 

Father Allerton's voice began to falter here, 
and he remained for a few moments in solemn 
silence — his eyes fast closed. Never before, in 
my life, did I contemplate the Pilgrims with 
such feelings. I seemed, for the moment, to 
behold the millions of their posterity, and all the 
wealth and grandeur of New England, and the 
political and religious destiny of all America, 
5* 



58 HISTORY OF 

lodged in one frail ship, tossed on the angry 
waves of a stormy ocean ! 

*' Precious cargo !" repeated Father Alierton, 
and paused again. 

'• Never," said I, " did the Atlantic ocean 
bear on its bosom such a valuable burden from 
the mines of Potosi. It has been well said by a 
good man, that God, the great Husbandman of 
the world, sifted three kingdoms^ that he might 
plant the American wilderness with the finest 
loheaty 

Mr. Alierton. True, Sir. I venture to say, 
there never has been seen such a society of 
people on earth, since that time. All who came 
over to this country in the Mayflower, came for 
the sake of religion ; and for that pure religion 
too, which was hated by the loose and profane. 
And then they lived such strict and holy lives, 
that no ungodly person could endure to be with 
them. Yet these are the men who were hunted 
from place to place like thieves and robbers. 
But I will say no more about their cruel treat- 
ment in England. Our fathers forgave their 
enemies, and prayed for them ; and we ought to 
turn our thoughts upon the pious character of 
the Pilgrims, rather than upon the persecuting 



THE PILGRIMS. 59 

spirit of their enemies. The people of England 
have long since seen their mistake, and never 
again would do as their fathers did, if they 
should have an opportunity. The Lord told the 
children of Israel to *' stand in the ways and see, 
and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, 
ajid walk therein." Let us follow the same 
advice. 

The Mayflower, after sailing awhile with fair 
winds, was overtaken by a dreadful storm. The 
vessel was wrecked so badly, that some of the 
principal men on board had serious thoughts of 
returning. However, tliey kept on their way, 
and after a boisterous voyage o^ nine weeks, they 
came in sight of land, but knew not where. It 
proved to be Cape Cod, several hundred miles 
north of the place where they intended to settle. 
So after some talk with the captain, he tacked 
the ship about, and steered to the southward. 
When they had gone in that direction for half a 
day, they found themselves among shoals, and 
could go no further. With much difficulty, they 
were able to get back, at last, into Cape Cod 
harbor, on the llth of November. Here the 
Pilgrims fell upon their knees, and gave thanks 
to that God, who had brought them safely through 



60 HISTORY OF 

SO many seen and unseen dangers and difficul- 
ties. 

Edioard. Did they never get to Virginia, 
then, as ihey intended ? 

Mr. Allerton. It was not Virginia, my child, 
but near the mouth of the Hudson river, where 
they wanted to settle. It is true, that place was 
then the northern part of what King James gave 
to the Virginia Company ; but the State of Vir- 
ginia now does not reach so far to the north, you 
know. 

Emeline. Why, the Hudson river, Edward, 
is in the State of New York, is it not? 

Edioard. Yes ; and the city of New York, 
I suppose, stands very near the spot where the 
Pilgrims wished to land. 

Mr. Allerton. You are right ; but that great 
city has all been built there since that time. 
The spot was then covered with woods. The 
Hudson river would have made a fine harbor for 
the Pilgrims, and the land was much better than 
where they stopped, and the winters not so cold. 
But they never reached that place. 

Edward. The storm hindered them, I sup- 
pose. 

Mr. Allerton. It was partly that ; for the 



I^HE PILGRIMS. 01 

winter was so near, and the ocean so rough, 
when they came in sight of Cape Cod, that they 
were glad to stop anywhere. But this was not 
ail. It was afterwards known, that Captain 
Jones had been hired not to carry them there, 
but to land them somewhere else, although the 
Pilgrims had agreed with him for a passage to 
that place, before they set out. 

Emcline. How came he to do so, grandpa' ; 
who hired him ? 

3Ir. AlUrton. Why, before they started from 
Holland, some of the Dutch heard that they 
talked oi going to Hudson river, and these 
Dutch people thought it would be a good place 
for themselves : so they sent out a company of 
their own, while the Pilgrims were getting 
ready, and privately bargained with Capt. Jones 
to carry them somewhere else. It was on this 
account, no doubt, that he brought them to Cape 
Cod, and then pretended that he could get no 
further. 

Eincline. What a wicked man that captain 
was, to lie and deceive them so ! 

Mr. Allerton. Some thought that the captain 
of the Speedwell told a lie too, and made his 
vessel leak on purpose, that he might go back ; 



62 HISTORY OF 

for he became sick of the voyage soon after he 
set out. All who do such things, forget that 
God's eye is upon them ; and when they have 
forgotten thai, they can Jie or do any wicked 
thing without fear. But though they may cast 
off the fear of God, he still watches them just as 
close. He has told us what will be the awful 
portion of all liars — do you recollect it, Eme- 
line? 

Here Emeline repeated from memory, — '' All 
liars shall have their part in the lake which 
burncth with fire and brimstone." 

After a moment's pause, Father Allerton went 
on with his story. — God is able, my children, 
to make the wr.ith and lies of wicked men 
praise him, and help his church, and he did so 
now ; for if the Pilgrims had gone to Hudson 
river, as they intended, it is very likely that they 
would have been destroyed by the barbarous In- 
dians ; for there were great multitudes of them 
living about there at that time. 

Edicard. And were there none on Cape Cod 
too? 

Mr. Allerton. There were some, as you wilt 
presently see, though not a great many. But 
the place where they finally landed, had beeu 



THE PILGRIMS. 63 

almost entirely cleared of Indians, by a mortal- 
sickness, which swept them oflT about two years 
before. I must tell you more about this in 
another place. Let us now return to the Pil- 
grims, and take our leave of them for the night. 
We have followed them through their perilous 
wanderings, till they at last reach this coast, late 
in the season, and the cold wintery storms are 
beginning to howl about them. 

Emeline. Poor Pilgrims 1 How did they live 
through the stormy winter without any friends 
or home ? 

Mr. Allerfon. Your question, Emeline, brings 
to mind a most interesting, though pitiful part of 
their story. But we must not enter upon it this 
evening, for you see it is now past our usual time 
for closing, and near the hour of prayer. Regu- 
larity is of great importance, especially to you, 
my children ; because you are now forming your 
habits for life. If Providence permit, I will 
continue this story of the Pilgrims to-morrow, 
and tell you how they lived through the next 
winter. But before we close this exercise, you 
may answer a few questions. 

Did Mr. Robinson's churcli all leave Holland at once ? Tell 
me what you can remember about their preparations for leaving. 



^4 HISTORY OF 

From what town did the Speedwell sail ? Why did not 
Mr. Robinson come with them 1 Who came as their minister? 
What troubles did they meet with on their voyage 1 How 
many came ? 

When the children had answered their grand- 
father's questions, the Bible and Psalm Book 
were brought forward. Father Allerton selected 
a suitable chapter, which the children read. 
After the old man had given a short and simple 
explanation of the passage, and made some 
practical remarks upon it, we all joined in sing- 
ing the following verses of the 78th Psalm, and 
then united in prayer. 

" He bids us make his glories known, 
His works of power and grace ; 
And we'll convey his wonders down 
Through every rising race. 

Our lips shall tell them to our sons. 

And they again to theirs ; 
That generations yet unborn 

May teach them to their heirs. 

Thus shall ihey learn, in God alone 

Their hope securely stands ; 
That they may ne'er forget his workS;, 

But practice his commands." 



THE PILGRIMS. 65 



CHAPTER IV. 

" In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, 
in perils by mine own counlrymen, in perils by the heathen, in 
perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea." — Paul. 

" These are the great of earth. 
Great, not by kingly birth, 
Great in their well proved worth, 

Firm hearts and true." — Pierpont. 

On the following morning, after breakfast, I 
walked out with Father Allerton, to view the 
surrounding country. We slowly ascended a 
neighboring hill, from which we had an exten- 
sive view of Massachusetts Bay, on the north 
and east. The morning was calm, and the 
smooth surface of the water looked like a sea 
of glass, spreading out before us till it seemed 
to edge upon the blue sky, and mingle imper- 
ceptibly with it. The southern prospect might 
be three miles in extent, presenting a varied 
landscape of meadows, pastures, ponds, and hills 
rising one above another, and a forest of oaks 
and pines beyond. The western view was broken 
at the distance of half a mile, by a range of 
6 



66* HISTORY OF 

woody hills, which extended into the bay and 
formed a steep cliff, 

" That promontory yonder," said Mr. Allertoti, 
" is the first land that meets the mariner's eye, 
as he approaches this coast on his return from 
sea. He discovers that high land some time be- 
fore he sees Cape Cod, notwithstanding the cape 
stretches along between him and this hill, and 
lies so far towards the east, too, that we can 
hardly discover it from here. Though, by the 
way, Sir, the air is so clear and the bay so smooth 
this morning, that you can get a tolerably good 
view of Cape Cod." 

Upon this I looked again, and saw what ap- 
peared like a low sand-bank, running along be- 
tween the water and the sky, which I had not 
before noticed. The subject of our last even- 
ing's conversation rushed into my mind so sud- 
denly upon this discovery, that I could not help 
glancing my eye along the cape to see if I could 
find the Mayflower. 

*' Point me," said I, *' good Sir, to the spot 
where you left the Pilgrims last evening ; for 
this bay seems to me like a sacred chart where 
we might trace out their pious and perilous 
wanderinss." 



THE PILGRIMS. 6T 

Father Allevton, lifting his staff, slowly fixed 
its dirrctioii. — " 'i'hcre, Sir," he said, " that is 
exactly the spot wliere the Pilgrims first found 
a shelter on tiiis New England shore, after they 
had'passed the dangers of the ocean — more than 
two hundred years ago." 

I was sorry that he added this last remark — 
*' two hundred years ago" — for I was willing to 
imagine that they were now on that very spot 
where I was looking. 

" I should rejoice," said I, *' to sit down here 
upon this hill, and listen to the remainder of 
their story ; for I can almost see them now sail- 
ing about here before us. If Edward and Eme- 
line were here, 1 should urge this request." 

Father Ailerton smiled at my remark, and 
turning his eye towards the house, said, ** I 
think you will have a chance to make your re- 
quest, for the children, I see, are coming this 
way, and are now almost here. But such a 
request is unnecessary ; I dare say it will give 
me as much pleasure to spend an half hour in 
talking about the Pilgrims, as you will feel in 
listetiing to me. Besjdcs, these children will 
be more likely to remember the story if they 



68 HISTORY OF 

can see the places where some of the events 
occurred." 

By this time the children had come up, and 
were delighted with the proposal. So we all 
sat down upon the side of a rock, and the old 
man began. 

Mr. Allerton. Yonder, my children, is the 
cape, you see, and at the end of it is the har- 
bor in which we left the Pilgrims last evening, 
on board the Mayflower. It was the 11th of 
Noven)ber ; and the lying captain had brought 
them to that dreary place, far from the spot 
where they wanted to go. But this was not the 
worst of it. He told them that they must look 
out a place near by, where they would be land- 
ed, and threatened to put them and their goods 
all out upon the beach where they were, if they 
did not find a place soon. He saw that winter 
was coming on, and he wished to get back to 
England before it came. 

The shore where they were, looked so dreary 
and desolate, that they could not think of settling 
there. They agreed, therefore, to send off some 
of their number in the boat to examine the coast 
and look for a better place. But before any of 



THE PILGRIMS. 69 

them left the ship, the Pilgrims made a set of 
laws and regulations, which they all promised 
to obey. Then tiiey chose Mr. John Carver to 
he their Governor for one year. Whilst they 
were repairing the boat, Captain Miles Standish, 
a brave man, witii fifteen others, offered to go 
ashore and travel by land in search of a place 
for settlement. They went with their guns, 
and were gone two days and two nights. Dur- 
ing this time they travelled many miles, slept in 
the open air, got wet with rain, saw five or six 
Indians, but could not get near enough to speak 
with them, found some Indian corn buried under 
heaps of sand, and as it was the first they had 
ever seen, they brought some of it back with 
them to the ship. 

Edward. But did no Indian corn grow in 
England nor Holland at that time? 

Mr. Alltrton. No; it was not known in any 
civilized part of the world until it was found 
among the Indians in America. On this ac- 
count it is called Indian corn. By this time 
the boat was ready, and twenty-four of the Pil- 
grims, with nine or ten sailors, went in her to 
examine a certain place which Captain Standish 
and his company saw in their march, and which 
6* 



70 HISTORY OF 

they thought might be a good harbor. But a 
cold storm of wind, and rain, and snow came on 
soon after they left the ship, and drove ihein to 
the nearest shore. Here they had to wade in 
the cold water, by which means niany of them 
took severe colds, and some never recovered. 
On the next morning they sailed to the spot, 
but soon found that it was no place for a settle- 
ment. They travelled about in the snow, which 
was a foot deep, shot several ducks and geese, 
which they cooked for supper, and slept at night 
under some pine trees. On the next morning 
they went to the spot where the Indian corn had 
been seen, and found a large quantity buried in 
the sand. Do you see that place yonder, which 
seems to rise a little above the rest of the cape 1 
Well, it was somewhere about that rising ground, 
where they found the corn. The town of Truro 
now stands near the *spot, and there is a hill in 
it which still goes by the name of CornhilL 

By this time some of the boat's company be- 
gan to grow weary, and wished to go back. So 
they sent a part of their number to the ship, 
with about ten bushels of corn, which they dug 
out of the frozen sand. The others desired to 
look farther, and staid another night. 



THE PIJ.GRIMS. 71 

Emeline. Was it right for them to t«ike away 
tlie Indians' corn ? 

Mr. Allerton. The Piltrrims wished to pay 
for it, but the owners could not be found. How- 
ever, they saw some of them about six months 
afterwards, and paid tljem as much as they 
^sUed. It seemed to he a good providence of 
God that they found this corn, for their store of 
provisif)ii was quite low before spring. By this 
means, too, they had seed to plant, without 
which, it seems they must have starved. 

Those who staid behind, lodged there on the 
snow, as they all did the night before. Next 
day they found several Indian wigwams, or 
houses, and a numl)er of curious things belongs 
ing to the Indians, but could not see any pef 
son. The boat came and they all went back to 
the ship. Tiiere they remained for one week, 
not knowing what to do. Several of the com" 
pany died in the harbor of Cape Cod, 

On the 6th of December they sent out their 
boat on a third voyage of discovery, with ten of 
their principal men, and about aa many sailors. 
Messrs. Carver, Bradford, Winslow, Allerton, 
and Standish, were among the number. They 
determined to sail along the shore of the bay. 



72 HISTORY OF 

until they should find a suitable place for settle- 
ment, and then carry back word to the sliip. 
The first day they saw about a dozen Indians on 
the shore, cutting up a whale that had drifted 
up on the beach. They landed not far from 
this place and spent the night. Here tiiey saw 
the smoke of the Indian fires several miles off. 
In the morning they divided their company, and 
a part travelled by land, while the rest sailed 
along shore. Those on the land found a num- 
ber of Indian wigwams, but saw no Indians, nor 
any good place for a settlement. Towards night 
the boat came ashore, and the two companies 
lodged together in the woods. They rose early 
next morning, and prayed to God for his guid- 
ance and blessing. Just about day-light, when 
they were getting ready to set out, they suddenly 
heard a great and strange cry, "Wuach ! 
woach! ha hack woacli V One of their men 
came running towards them exclaiming, Indi- 
ans I Indians! Immediately the Indians let 
fly their arrows at the Pilgrims, and the Pilgrims 
fired their guns at the Indians. Upon this the 
savages fled for their lives. 

Emeline. Was any body killed, grandpa' ? 

Mr, AUerton. We don't know how it was 



THE PiLORIMS. 73 

with the Indians : but amoncrst the Pilgrims 
nobody was hurt in the least, ahhough the ar- 
rows fell all arour»d iheni like a bhovver of hail, 
and went through their clothes. 

Edward. How are these arrows made ? 
Mr. Allcrton. They are made in different 
ways. Most commonly they are nothing more 
than a straight stick about two feet long, with 
a sharp piece of flint stone fastened in one end. 
But with a good bow an Indian can shoot one 
of ihese so swift as to kill a person at a con- 
siderable distance. Some of the arrows that 
were shot at the Pilgrims were headed with 
brass, some with deer's horn, and others with 
eagles' claws. After this attack of the Indians 
the Pilgritns gave thanks to God for his pre- 
serving care, and sailed on their way. 

Edward. Are all ihe Indians such savage 
<jreatures as to attack those who have done them 
no injury ? 

Mr. Allerfoti. They have a character widely 
<iifferent from that of white people. I will tell 
you something about their habits and disposition 
before I close this story, if I have time. One 
thing I will just remark of them now, which 
will show you why they treated the Pilgrims so. 



74 HISTORY OF 

They never forget a favor nor forgive an injury. 
And sometimes when a single individual insults 
them, they will hale the wljole nation to which ' 
he belongs. 

Emeliue. When had the Pilgrims insulted : 
them ? 

Mr. Alhrton. Never, my child. They never ', 
saw the Pilgrims before. But an English cap- . 
tain by the name of Hunt, several years before ; 
had come there to trade with them. One day 
he invited a number of them on board his ves- 
sel, and when he had got them there he carried 
them off into Spain, and sold them as slaves. ^ 
The Indians never forgot this inhuman deed„ * 
but were ever upon the watch for revenge orr \ 

the English. Tiiey afterwards said that this \ 

. . . \ 

was tlie reason why they fell upon the Pilgrims-. < 

But we must leave this subject here, and follow i 

the boat along these shores. ' 

They sailed about 45 or 50 miles from the 

place where they stopped the night before, but 

found no good harbor. A storm also was corn-* 

ing on. The pilot told them of a harbor where , 

he once stopped, which he thought they could ' 

reach before niglit, if they kept on their way. \ 

So they resolved to sail for it. That place was 1 



THE PILGRIMS. 75 

Plymouth harbor, which you can almost see by 
the end of that point' yonder, on our left. Their 
course to it was directly along these shores. 
Before the middle of the afternoon it began to 
snow and rain. The wind increased, and the 
sea was so rouijh that they broke their rudder. 
It was now as much as two men could do to steer 
the boat with a couple of oars. In this condilion 
they passed along here — the wiiid was high — 
the snow flew thick — their rudder was broken ! 

The pilot bid them be of good cheer, for he 
said he could see the harbor ahead. The storm 
grew more severe, night was fast coming on, 
and ihey bore what sail they could that they 
might reach the place before dark. At last a 
violent gust of wind broke their mast into three 
pieces, and almost overset the boat. Yet by the 
good providence of God they escaped, and were 
passing into the harbor as ihey all supposed. But 
the pilot now f)und that he was mistaken in the 
place, and cried out, " Lord^ be merciful to us ! 
my eyes never saw this phtce before^ Here 
they would have been dashed against the shore 
in a few moments, if they had not turned the 
boat immediately, and got away. Now they 



7j| HISTORY OP 

were among foaming waves, in a dark stormy 
night, and knew not which way to steer ! 

" What did become of them F' exclaimed the 
children, both at once. 

Mr. Allerton. God took care of them, my chil- 
dren. Although it was very dark and stormy ,^ yet, 
by the help of Providence, they got under the lee 
of a small island. But they knew not that it 
was an island, and durst not go on shore, lest 
they should fall among Indians, Some of them 
at last, worn out with fatigue and cold, ventured 
ashore, and with much difficulty kindled a fire. 
After midnight the wind shifted to the norths 
and the weather was so cold that they were alt 
glad to leave the boat and get to the fire. In 
the morning they saw that they were upon an 
island secure from the Indians. 

" What island was that?" said I, " Can we 
see it from here ?" 

Mr. Allerton. We can almost see it but not 
quite. You see that point of land which they 
call the Gurnet. Well, the island on which the 
Pilgrims spent the night lies a little to the south 
of it in the mouth of Plymouth harbor. It has 
ever since that time been called Clark's Island, 



THE riLGRlJVIS. 77 

because Thomas Clark first ventured ashore 
upon it. 

Here the Pilgrims dried their clothes ; and as 
it was the last day of the week, they rested 
themselves and prepared to keep the Sabbath 
there. When the holy Sabbath came, they 
spent the day in prayer and praise in the open 
air around their fire, and talked of the Lord's 
goodness and mercy. This was the first Chris- 
tian Sabbath ever observed on these shores : and 
though they were few in number, and on a soli- 
tary island, still they kept it in a way more ac- 
ceptable to God, no doubt, than many of their 
descendants have since done in large meeting- 
houses and with their ministers. 

*' How many in our times," said I, '' would 
think themselves altogether excused from ob- 
serving the Lord's Day in such circumstances ! 
especially if their business was as pressing and 
important as the business of the Pilgrims then 
was." 

Mr. Allerton. Ah, sir, there has been a sad 
departure from the custom of our Fathers, in 
respect to this thing. They feared God, and 
obeyed his fourth command. They loved him, 
and took such delight in his worship, that the 
7 



78 HISTORY or 

would not have been excused from it, even if 
they might. They trusted in him too, for 
help in all their pursuits, and knew that nothing 
would be gained by working on his holy day. 
AleS ! how has the glory departed from New 
England ! JVJy children, whenever you think of 
neglecting God's holy day, remember where, and 
hoio, the first Sabbath was kept in this country. 

On Monday they examined the harbor, and 
found it convenient for vessels. They landed 
by stepping from their boai upon a rock in the 
edge of the water ; and that rock has ever since 
been called Forefathers' B.orJc. They next took 
a view of the country, and found several brooks 
of good vvat<fr, and saw where the Indians once 
had their cornfields, but saw no person. This 
was the I hh of December, Old Style, in the 
year 1(520, which is the same as the 22d of De- 
cember, as we now reckon. 

Emeline. W!iy do you call it Old Styhj 
grandpa' ? What docs that mean ? 

Mr. AUerton. Old Style means the old icay 
of reckoning the days of the month, and is just 
eleven days later than the New Style, which is 
now used. So that when you see the day of a 
month mentioned in the Old Style, you must add 
eleven days to it, and it will show the date, as 



THE PILGRIMS. 79 

we now reckon. The Pilgrims used the Old 
Style, and therefore I have done so, when I have 
fnentioned the days of the month. 

Edward. Then we must call the day on 
which they landed at Plymouth, the 22d of De- 
cember, must we not ? 

Mr. Allerton. Yes, that is the day which we 
celebrate as the Forefathers' Day. When they 
had examined the harbor, and were satisfied that 
it was a good place for their settlement, they 
went back to the ship with the news ; and the 
Mayflower sailed to this harl)or with all the Pil- 
grims. There we must leave them till this even- 
ing ; for I think your grandmother will hardly 
be willing to spare us all from home any longer. 

As soon as Father Allerton had said this, 
Emelinc rose suddenly from her seat, and began 
to run towards the house. In a few moments, 
however, she stopped to inquire if her grand- 
father wished to ask them any questions now. 
So on our way to the house Mr. Allerton made 
the following inquiries. 

How Hifl CapU Jones treat ihe rilgrimfi after they arrived at 
Cape Cod ? What did ihey do before iliey lesfiE the ship ? Oive 
an account of ilieir first aiieiupt to find a place (<)r settlement. 
Tlieir second attempt. Tell me what you can remember of 
their thin! voyage of discovery. Where was the first Christian 
Sabbath held in New England 1 When did they first land at 
Pjymouth ? 



so HISTORY OF 



CHAPTER V. 

'^ I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the 
people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine ene- 
mies turn their backs unto thee." — Jehovah, 

" They wandered in a thorny maze, 
A vale of doubts and fears ; 
A night illum'd with sickly rays, 
A wilderness of tears." — Tajopmi. 

The returning evening found the little family 
circle at Father Allerton's, all comfortably seat- 
ed, and waiting to hear more from the Pilgrims ; 
when Mr. Alierton thus began : — 

" My children, we have followed the Pilgrims 
through many scenes of danger already, and 
have seen their Christian courage on many a 
trying occasion ; but their greatest trials remain 
yet to be told." 

" Then I was mistaken," said Edward ; " for 
I told Emeline this afternoon, that I guessed the 
Pilgrims were comfortable and happy, after they 
left the ship and got settled on the land." 

Mr. Alierton. Do not suppose, from what I 
say, that they were not happy. They always 



THE PILGRIMS. 81 

found a happiness in religion, which the world 
and all its trials could not take away. But you 
was very much mistaken, my son, if you thoufrht 
the Pilgrims had fewer troubles on land, than 
they had on the sea. It is painful to think of 
the sufferings ihey endured through the first few 
years of their settlement here. But we ought to 
think of them often; for many of our comforts 
came to us through their toil and suffering. 
And when we think of their toils, let us call to 
mind our blessings : and thank that merciful God 
who has shown us such unmerited kindness. 

The ship sailed to the new-found harbor, as I 
told you, and after looking up to heaven for 
direction, about twenty of the Pilgrims wont 
ashore to fix upon a spot for building houses ; 
for the country was all a wilderness then, and 
not a house was to be seen of any kind. They 
pitched upon a rising ground where had been an 
Indian cornfield several years before. As the 
weather was fair, they spent the night on shore, 
intending to go back to the ship next day. But 
an the night a storm arose, and they were obliged 
to wait two days and two nights, without any 
shelter, before they could return to the ship. 
After this they went to work and built one small 



^1 HISTORY OF 

house for their common use. Then they divided 
their whole company into nineteen families, and 
marked out as many lots of land as there were 
families, and went to building as fast as they 
could. As soon as the houses were ready, they 
moved their families into them from the ship. 
But on account of bad weather and sickness, it 
took them nearly all winter to get moved and 
settled. 

" It must have taken them a long time," said 
I, " only to build as many houses as they needed, 
if they had nothing else to do." 

Mr. Allerton. It must indeed, if their houses 
were made like those which we novv' build. But 
they were not. The Pilgrims cut their timber 
in the woods near by, and put up little huts, for 
houses — the best that their time and means 
would allow. They were so anxious to get set- 
tled, that they moved on shore some time before 
they could be sheltered from the storm. In 
these miserable huts they lived, or rather died^ 
through the rest of that cold winter. 

Father Allerton paused in his story, and 
seemed like one whose mind is troubled with 
some sad tale, which still must be told. After a 
short pause, Emeline broke the silence by ask- 



THE PILGRIMS. §3 

ing with a mournful tone of voice — " Did the 
Pilgrims die, grandpa' ?" 

Mr. Allerton. Yes, my dear, full half of 
these toil-iuorn Pilgrims died before the next 
spring. Their hardships at sea, and their 
fatigues on land, and their want of suitable 
accommodations, were altogether too much for 
human nature to bear. Three or four some- 
times died in a single day : and at one time 
there were only six or seven well persons to take 
care of all the sick ! 

Edward. O shocking ! did they have no 
doctor among them 1 

Mr. Allerton. No, nor minister either. But 
their good elder, Mr. Brewster, did the business 
of both. When almost all the rest were sick, 
he was spared ; and although he was then an 
old man, he went about continually among them, 
giving medicine to the sick and praying with 
the dying. The sailors, too, on board the May- 
flower, were sick at the same time, and half of 
them died. 

" O if the Indians," said I, " had come upon 
them in this weak and helpless state, how easily 
they might have cut them all off!" 

Mr. Allerton. This was indeed a most re- 



S4 HISTORY OF 

markable providence of God, and must be reck- 
oned among his "wonders of old" which we 
should remember. The Lord seemed to strike 
the natives with a dread of the Pilgrims, just as 
he did the inhabitants of Canaan with a fear of 
the Israelites when they took the promised land. 
They saw only six or seven Indians all winter, 
and these did not attempt to injure any one, but 
would always run away if any body went towards 
them. They frequently saw the bones and skulls 
of Indians lying above ground, as if a great 
many people had once lived there, but had died 
faster than they could be buried. All this ap- 
peared strange and mysterious to the Pilgrims, 
and they could not tell what to make of it, till 
they were informed the next spring by one of 
the natives. 

Emeline. Pray how was it, grandpa' ? I long 
to hear. 

Mr. Allerton. One day about the middle of 
March, an Indian came boldly into the settle- 
ment, and cried out, '* Welcome Englishmen! 
Welcome Englishmen .'" They were surprised 
to see him there, for he was the first Indian they 
had met ; but more surprised still to hear him 
speak the English language. He told them his 



THE PILGRIMS. 85 

name was Sa)nosct,?Lnd that he learned that lan- 
guage of some fishermen, from England, on an- 
other part of the coast. The Pilgrims treated 
Samoset kindly, and kept him all night. He 
gave them much valuable information respecting 
the different parts of the country, and of the In- 
dians, particularly of those who lived nearest to 
them. He told them that the place of their set- 
tlement, which they had named", Plymouth, was 
called Patuxet by the Indians ; that the former 
inhabitants of that place died of an extraordinary 
sickness four years ago ; and that there was 
scarcely a man, woman or child, left to hinder 
them from taking possession of the land. By 
this remarkable event, it seems that God went 
before the Pilgrims, and prepared a place for 
them here, just as he did for the children of 
Israel in the land of Canaan. 

Edward. And do you suppose the Indians 
were destroyed for their sins ? My Sabbath 
school teacher said that the people of Canaan 
v/ere. 

Mr. Allerton. I told you last evening, you 
remember, that the wicked are not always openly 
punished, nor the good always thus rewarded, in 
this world. But still it sometimes happens, that 



86 HISTORY OF 

God visits the wicked in some dreadful manner 
here, as he did the Canaanites. However, this 
does not answer your question, Edward. The In- 
dians helieved that God sent that sickness among 
them for murdering some wliite people once. I 
will tell you the story which one of them told the 
Pilgrims, and leave it for you to form your own 
opinions about it. 

Several years before the Mayflower came to 
Plymouth, a French ship was cast away on Cape 
Cod. But the sailors all got on shore, and saved 
their victuals and goods. The Indians around 
Plymouth, or Patuxet, as it was then called, 
heard of this shipwreck, and went there. After 
watching them slyly for some days, they took a 
convenient opporturiity and killed them all but 
three or four. These they kept alive and sent 
them around from one chief to another, to make 
sport for them, treating them worse than slaves. 
One of these Frenchmen lived with them long 
enough to learn their language. He told them 
that God was angry at their wickedness, and 
would some time or other destroy them, and give 
their land to others who did not live so like 
beasts. The Indians laughed at this, and told 
him they were so many that God could not kill 



THE PILGRIMS. 87 

them. He answered, ** No matter how many 
you are, God can destroy you ; for he has many 
ways to do it, which you don't know of." Soon 
after the poor Frenchman's death, the plague 
broke out among them, and swept them off, as 
Samoset had related. Four years after this 
plague, the Pilgrims came. The Indians re- 
membered what the Frenchman had said ; and 
as one part of it had come to pass, they began 
to fear that the other would also, and that they 
should lose their land. Therefore they were 
afraid of the wliite people, and ran away when 
they saw them. This is their story. 

Emeline. Well, this is very curious; it seems 
as if the hand of God was in it. 

Edward. But if they feared that the Pilgrims 
would take away their land, I wonder why they 
did not muster all the Indians in the country, 
and try to prevent it in some way or other. 

Mr. Alltrton, It is truly wonderful that they 
did not. I know of no better reason for it, than 
that which Emeline has given — " the hand of 
God was in it." They might have killed all the 
Pilgrims as easily as not, when they were so 
few in number, and most of them sick ; and we 
should think they would have done it, if God 



88 HISTORY OF 

had not made them afraid of the white people 
just at that time. They never were afraid of 
them before, and did not seem to be afterwards. 
However, they did try to destroy lliem once, and 
in a very curious way, too. Soon after the Pil- 
grims landed at Plymouth, the Indians brought 
together all their powows or priests, into a dark 
and dismal swamp not far off, and spent three 
days in cursing their white neighbors in a most 
horrid manner. 

** In this strange conduct," said I, " they 
seem to have followed in the steps of Balaam." 

Mr. Alkrton. Ay, and like him too, they 
were forced to say, " Surely there is no enchant- 
ment against Jacob, neither is there any divina- 
tion against Israel." The Pilgrims were unhurt 
by their cursing, for they knew nothing about it 
till a long time afterwards. But it shows us 
what the Indians would have done, if they had 
not been awed in some way ; for these poor de- 
luded beings really believed that their powows 
could curse the Pilgrims in such a manner that 
they would die immediately. 

Edward. There was at least one friendly In- 
dian among them, was there not 1 he who came 
and said, " Welcome Englishmen.'^ 



THE PILGRIMS. g9 

Mr. AlJerton. Yes : Samoset proved himself 
to be a true friend to the white people, and was 
the means of making other friends, especially 
Massasoit, who was then king of an Indian 
tribe. He lived about 40 miles from Plymouth, 
but was nearer than any other chief The 
league of friendship between king Massasoit 
and our forefathers, was an event of so much 
importance to them, that I will relate the par- 
ticulars. It shows, too, how they got possession 
of this land. 

I told you just now, that Samoset lodged one 
night with the Pilgrims, and was treated kindly 
by them. The next morning they sent him back 
to his own people, but requested him to come 
again and bring others to trade with them. He 
promised that he would. On the following Sab- 
bath he came with several other Indians, who 
appeared to be friendly, and brought some furs 
to sell. But as it was the Lord's Day, the Pil- 
grims did not trade with them. However, these 
natives were taken care of in a friendly manner 
while they stayed, and promised to come again 
in a day or two. Samoset remained at Ply- 
mouth. Three days passed away, but no In- 
dians came. Samoset was therefore sent to in- 
8 



90 HISTORY OF 

quire the cause. He returned the next day, at 
noon, with an Indian named Squantiim, wJio 
used to live on the spot where the Pilgrims 
landed. He was one of those unfortunate na- 
tives whom Capt. Hunt carried off and sold. 
He was carried to Spain at first, but afterwards 
escaped into England, where he lived two years, 
and finally reached home. But on his return, 
he found none of his friends living. The 
plague, which broke out while he was gone, had 
swept them all off; so that he was the only na- 
tive of Plymouth then living. Squantum be- 
came a good friend to the Pilgrims, and after- 
wards showed them how to plant their Indian 
corn, and where to catch fish, and many other 
things, which they knew nothing about. 

These two Indians brought news, that their 
great king Massasoit was coming to see them, 
with his brother Q,uadequina. After an hour, 
the king came in sight on the top of a high hill, 
with a train of 60 men ; and there they all 
slopped. Squantum was sent to them, and 
brought back word that the king wished to have 
one of the white men come to him. Mr. Ed- 
ward Winslow was sent to know what he wanted, 
and to invite him into the town to sec Governor 



THE PILGRIMS. 91 

Carver. The king then left Mr. Winslow in the 
keeping of Quadequina, and went with 20 of 
his men to meet the white people. Captain 
Standish met him and conducted him into a 
house. After Gov. Carver and King Massasoit 
had kissed each other, as a niark of friendship, 
they sat down and conversed together. 

Edward. Did you say that the Indians kept 
Mr. Winslow with them on the hill ? 

Mr. AUerfon. Yes, until the king returned. 
Massasoit knew nothing about the Pilgrims, 
you see, and was afraid that they would take 
him prisoner, or kill him, if he went among 
them. And he would not venture, unless Mr. 
Winslow stayed behind ; for he thought the 
white people would not dare hurt him whilst one 
of their number was in the hands of his men. 
Mr. Winslow was conducted safely back when 
the king returned. But Massasoit did not leave 
Plymouth till he and Gov. Carver had first made 
a league of friendship. The king gave the Pil- 
grims all the land around Plymouth, and pro- 
mised that his people should not injure them 
nor steal their property. Gov, Carver made the 
satne promise to him. The king also promised 
that his men should always leave their bows and 



9^ HISTORY OF 

arrows behind, when they came among the 
white people. And they both agreed to help 
each other, if any tribe of Indians should make 
war upon either of them. 

The king went home much pleased with his 
visit, and sent word around to all the Indian 
chiefs who were his friends, not to injure the 
white people at Plymouth ; for if they did, he 
should join with his white friends in punishing 
them. So that instead of fearing any assault 
from the neighboring Indians, these same neigh- 
bors became a sort of bulwark around the little 
settlement at Plymouth. 

" This was a very remarkable circumstance," 
said I, " and seems to show the hand of God as 
clearly as anything we have yet seen. I think 
it is Solomon who says, * When a man's ways 
please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to 
be at peace with him ;' and this affair of the In- 
dians looks very much like it." 

3Ir. AUerton. It does so. And I heartily 
pity those who cannot view the subject in this 
light. Yet there are some, you know, who can 
read the history of the Pilgrims through without 
noticing the hand of God once in it all. They 
speak of it as though the Fathers of New Eng- 



THE PILGRIMS. 93 

land had done all these great wonders by their 
own wisdom and strength. But the pious Pil- 
grims would have blushed with shame if any 
body had told them so. For they knew and felt 
that ** they got not the land in possession by 
their own sword, neither did their own arm save 
them ; but the right hand of God, and his arm, 
and the light of his countenance, because he 
had a favor unto them." And there are others, 
still more to be pitied, who boast that they are 
descended from the Pilgrims, and are always 
praising the Christian courage of their fore- 
fathers, and cannot doubt but that God was with 
them ; and yet these same persons despise that 
pure religion, which bore them through persecu- 
tion at home, and cheered them on their perilous 
voyage, and sustained them in this howling wil- 
derness. Yes, while they search after their 
graves, and build a marble monument over their 
dust, they ridicule those who live most like them 
now ! But in vain do they build the tombs of 
the Pilgrims, and garnish the sepulchres of the 
righteous — if this is all. The Scribes and Phari- 
sees did as much for their holy fathers ; and 
yet the wo of Christ came upon them with 
awful severity ! 

8* 



94 HISTORY OF 

My children, if you would honor the names of 
these illustrious dead, you must maintain their 
principles, and follow their example. They 
" lived and walked with God." They suffered 
the loss of all things for Christ's sake, " rejoicing 
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame 
for his name." It was the fear of God ever be- 
fore their eyes, which took away the fear of men. 
Thus they lived. And it may be said of those 
who died in that first dreary winter, as it was 
said of the Old Testament patriarchs, " These 
all died in faiths not having received the pro- 
mises, but having seen them afar off^ and were 
persuaded of them, and embraced them, and con- 
fessed that they were strangers and Pilgrims on 
the earth J' 

But there are many other interesting things 
to be said of them before their story is all told, 
which will show their character more clearly 
than anything you have yet heard. We have 
seen them settled at last on these shores. We 
shall next see how they go to work in laying the 
foundation of this great and powerful nation. 
But we will stop here for the present, and re- 
view the ground that we have gone over this 
evening. 



THE PILGRIMS. 95 

When the ship came to Plymouth, what was the first thing 
they did ? How long were they in getting- moved and settled ? 
What kind of houses did tliey build 1 How many died the first 
winter ? What seemed to be the cause of it ? Tell me about 
the first Indian they met, and what he said. What cause did 
the natives give for the plague ? How did they once try to de- 
stroy the Pilgrims ? Who was Squantum ? Tell me about 
King Massasoit's visit to them. What do you think of these 
things ? How can we honor the Pilgrims best ? 



96 HISTORY OF 



CHAPTER VI. 

" Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them thut fear him, upon 
them that hope in his mercy ; to deliver their soul from death, 
and to keep them alive in famine." — Psabnist. 

" A grand-child to earth's paradise is born, 
Well liinb'd; well nerv'd, fair, rich, sweet, yet forlorn." 
MoreU's Poem on New England. 

Mr. Allerton. I shall not try to relate all that 
happened to the Pilgrims, after they came to 
this country ; for that would make my story 
quite too long. Still I will endeavor to tell you 
so much that you shall have a tolerahly correct 
view of those worthy men who once lived here, 
and whose dust is now mingled with the soil on 
which we tread. 

When the next spring opened, Capt. Jones 
returned to England with the Mayflower. The 
sickness of his men prevented him from going 
sooner. The feeble band of Pilgrims were now 
left ahme. Death had reduced their number to 
about 50, and many of these were stdl sick. 
The wide Atlantic ocean rolled between them 
and their beloved friends. Now they felt in- 



THE PILGRIMS. 97 

deed that they were " strangers and pilgrims on 
the earth." But this only made them oftener 
think of that " country which is an heavenly," 
and of that *' city which hath foundations, whose 
builder and maker is God." They went to 
work as soon as they were able, and planted 
about 20 acres of Indian corn, Squantum show- 
ing them how. While they were doing this, 
Gov. Carver was suddenly taken sick, and died 
within a few days. His death was a great loss 
to the little Colony at Plymouth, for he was the 
most wealthy man among them, and had given 
a large part of his property to help forward the 
new settlement. But above all, he was a man 
of great wisdom and piety. Although he was 
Governor, he still would take his share of labor 
and fatigue with the rest. Indeed, he was in 
the field at work when he was first taken sick. 
They buried him with all the marks of honor 
and love that they could show. His affectionate 
wife, overcome by her loss, lived only six weeks 
after the death of her husband. They chose 
Mr. William Bradford for their next Governor. 
He had not entirely recovered from a long and 
dangerous sickness when he was elected to that 



98 HISTORY OF 

office ; and they appointed Mr. Isaac Allerton 
to assist him. 

Edward. Did Massasoit still continue a 
friend to the Pilgrims, after Gov. Carver was 
dead? 

Mr. Allerton. Yes. In the month of July 
Mr. Wiiislow and Mr. Hopkins were sent to 
this Indian king with a present, and found that 
he was still their firm friend. One of Massasoit's 
chiefs, whose name was Flobamak, came back 
with the messengers, and lived at Plymouth all 
the rest of his days. He was a large, stout man, 
and had much influence with his countrymen, 
on account of his strength and courage. He 
assisted the new settlers in many ways, but 
especially by persuading the natives to make 
friendship with the white people. But it had 
like to have cost him his life once. For one day 
he and Squantum were sent on some business 
to Massasoit, and on their way they lodged at 
a place called by the Indians Namasket, but it 
is now the town of Middleborough. There an 
Indian, named Corbitant, who hated the Eng- 
lish, found them, and attempted to stab Hobo- 
rnok, for no other reason than because he was 



THE PILGRIMS. 99 

a friptiH to the Pilgrims. Hobamak, however, 
being a stout man, cleared himself and ran to 
Plymouth, where he told what had happened, 
and said he feared that Squanium was killed. 
Immediately they sent Capt. Standish to the 
spot with 14 armed men. These surrounded 
the house, to hinder those within fro h running 
away, and Capt. Standish boldly entered to 
search for Corbitant ; but the sly savage had 
escaped. When they found that Squanium was 
alive, they did no harm to the Indians, except 
that three of them were wounded by attempting 
to flee from the house while it was surrounded 
by the soldiers. These three were brought to 
Plymouth and cured, and then sent home again. 

Emdine. I am glad they cured the poor 
Indians, for I should think this would have 
convinced them that the Pilgrims were their 
friends. 

Mr. Alhrton. This whole aflfair had a happy 
effect upon the natives through all those parts. 
When they saw how bold, and yet how kind 
the white people were, a nuniber of chiefs came 
and wished to make a league of friendship with 
them, just as Massasoit had done. Even Cor- 
bitant himself came, or rather sent by Massasoit ; 



100 HISTORY OF 

for he felt rather shy about seeing the Pilgrims, 
after what had happened. 

The fall of the year was now coming on, and 
the settlers, mindful of their last winter's suffer- 
ings, began to repair their houses. They gath- 
ered in a good harvest of Indian corn, but their 
English grain was very poor. However, they 
got large quantities of fowl and fish during the 
autumn, by which they were much refreshed. 
Sometime in November, the ship Fortune, from 
England, came to Plymouth, and brought 35 
more of their friends to live with them. 

Emeline. I guess they were glad to see the 
Pilgrims once more. 

Edward. And I presume the Pilgrims, too, 
were glad to welcome their old friends to their 
little town, which they had built there in the 
wilderness with so much labor. 

3Ir. Allerton. No doubt it was an occasion 
of joy on both sides ; bat like many other joyful 
occasions it was followed by sorrow. For soon 
after the ship went away, they found that they had 
not provisions enough to last them all till another 
harvest. The 35 persons who had just arrived 
brought no supplies with them, and those who 
were there before, had barely enough for them- 



THE PILGRIMS. 101 

selves. However, the Pilgrims gave the new 
comers a share of what they had, although it was 
found necessary in consequence of it, to put the 
whole company on half allowance. By the end 
of March, they had consumed all their corn, 
and lived chiefly on clams and other shell-fish, 
which they found in great abundance about 
Plymouth harbor. In the latter part of May, 
they sent Mr. Winslow with their boat to the 
eastern part of New England, to see if he could 
get some provisions from fishing vessels which 
used to come there from England. By the kind- 
ness of these fishermen, he obtained so much 
bread as amounted to a quarter of a pound a day 
till harvest time. But this you see was not 
enough : so they were obliged still to live in a 
great measure on clams. 

Emeline. What would they have done, grand- 
pa', if it had not been for the clams ? 

3Ir. Allerton. Indeed, my child, I cannot 
tell. Perhaps God would have fed them in some 
other way, for he never forsakes the righteous. 
Mr. Winslow himself, who wrote an account of 
their sufferings at this time, says, " If we had 
not been in a place where divers sorts of shell 
fish are, that may be taken with the hand, we 
9 



102 HIS'lORY OF 

must have perished, unless God had raised some 
unknown or extraordinary means fur our preserva- 
tion." But famine was not tlie only trouble that 
they now feared. Some of the Indians began to 
boast how easy it would soon be to cut them all 
off in their weak state. And the news had just 
reached Plymouth, that nearly 400 of the Engli&h 
at the Virginia Colony, had been murdered by 
the savages a few months before ! 

Edward. O shocking !— But I thoucrht the 
natives about Plymouth, were all friendly to the 
Pilgrims now. 

Mr. Alkrton. No, not all: hut even if they 
had been, there were many living at a distance 
who were not; and the Indians go a great way 
sometimes to make war. I ought to have told 
you one circumstance before, which will show 
you how near the white people came to a war 
with the savage? about this time. One day, soon 
after the ship Fortune left Plymouth, the Narra- 
ganset Indians, a large and warlike tribe, wha 
lived near the bay which is still called the Nar- 
raganset Bay, sent a messenger to Plymouth, 
with a bundle of arrows tied together with a 
snake's skin. Nobody there knew what this 
present could mean, till Squantum returned^ 



THE PILGRIMS. 103 

who was away from home at the time. When 
he came they showed him the arrows, and he 
tol<l them at once, that it was meant for a threat- 
ening and a challenge — the same as a declara- 
tion of war. Upon this, Gov. Bradford, trusting 
more to the promises of God, than to the strength 
of the C«>lony, sent word to the Narragansets, 
that if they loved war rather than peace, they 
might begin when they pleased: that the English 
had never done them any wrong, and were not 
afraid of them. He also sent back the snake's 
skin filled with powder and bullets. 

^* But did not the Indian messenger who 
brought the arrows," I inquired, ** state the rea- 
sons for this declaration of war ?" 

Mr. AUerton. No, he left them withont 
making any explanation at all. The cause of 
this threat was probably this. Canonicus, the 
king of that tribe, was a proud man ; and as the 
plague had greatly thinned all the neighboring 
tribes without touching his own, he thought it 
would be a good opportunity for him to gain the 
mastery over them. Rspecially he wished to 
conquer Massasoit ; but he knew that he was 
united with the English, and that he must con- 
icjuer them first. But the Governor's short an- 



104 HISTORY OF 

swer frightened Canonicus so much, that he 
never attacked either Plymouth or Massasoit. 
Still the Pilgrims expected that he would, and 
prepared for it. They built a high and strong 
fence around the town, and kept the gates locked 
every night. In order to be more safe they 
divided themselves into four companies, and kept 
a constant watch. During the next summer 
they built a large fort on the hill, directly back 
of the town, which is now the " Burying-hill" 
of Plymouth. This fort had a strong flat roof, 
upon which they placed their cannon. It was 
also fitted up for a meeting-house ^ and was used 
for that purpose during several years. 

Emeline. O what a place for a meeting ! 

*' I have heard," said I, " of meeting-houses 
being turned into forts, but I never before heard 
of a fort being turned into a meeting-house." 

Mr. Allerton. It is a rare thing, to be sure ; 
yet I cannot but think, if every military fort 
should be a house of prayer, that the miseries 
and vices of war would cease before long. It 
will be well, my children, to remember that the 
first meeting-house in this country ivas a fort, for 
it shows alike the piety and the perils of our 
Pilgrim Fathers. 



THE PILGRIMS. l05 

The welcome harvest now was ripe, and the 
famishing settlers were refreshed with new corn, 
but it catne far short of a whole year's supply. 

Edtoard. I should suppose that they would 
have taken care lo plant enough this year. 

Mr. Alltrton. They planted full 60 acres, my 
child, and thought that this would yield enough 
to last them through the year. But they had 
not then learned the best manner of cultivating 
Indian corn. 'J'he principal cause, however, of 
their small harvest was, that they were so weak 
for want of suitable food, that they could not 
tend their corn as they should. Famine now 
stared them in the face, and they knew not 
where to look for help, but to God alone. 

*' Could they get no corn from the natives?" 
I inquired. 

Mr. Allerton. They had nothing to get it 
with. Beads and knives were the principal 
articles of trade with the Indians, and they had 
traded all these away for furs. They were now 
entirely out of trading stuff. 

Edward. Pray what did they do ? 

Mr. Allerton. God, who hears the ravens 
when they cry and feeds them, heard the Pil- 
grims in their distress, and sent a ship to Ply- 
9* 



106 HISTORY OF 

mouth. It was an English vessel going to 
Virginia. She had a plenty of knives and beads 
on board, which the settlers bought, though at a 
very dear rate, and were by this means able to 
trade again with the Indians. 

Emeline. What did they do with beads, 
grandpa' ? 

Mr. Allerton. They wore them for ornament. 
Although they used to go half naked, and live 
in a savage manner, still they were very fond of 
ornaments. In November, Gov. Bradford, with 
a number of his men, went on a voyage around 
Cape Cod, to trade with the natives for corn. 
Squantum was their pilot and interpreter. They 
were driven by contrary winds into a place 
which is now called Chatham harbor. Here 
Squantum fell sick and died. Just before his 
death he desired the Governor to pray for him, 
that he might go to the place where the English- 
men's God lived. 

" Do you think Squantum was a Christian, 
grandpa' ?" asked Emeline, with an anxious look. 

" There is some reason, my dear," said Father 
Allerton, " to hope that he was. He had been 
living with the Pilgrims about two years, and 
probably he had been instructed in the Christian 



THK PILGRIMS. IO7 

religion ; at least he had heard much about the 
true God. His wish to, go to the white men's 
heaven, considering (hat he had been trained up 
a savage, makes me hope that God changed his 
heart." 

" The desire of Squantura," said I, " was 
quite unlike that of a South American Indian, 
who had lived among the Spaniards. On his 
death-bed he asked where the Spaniards went 
when they died, and being told that they went to 
heaven, he replied that he would rather go to 
hell then, for he thought he should be happiest 
where fewest Spaniards were." 

Mr. Allerton. Thus we see that even the 
heathen, judge of our God and religion, by our 
lives and practices. Squantum loved the Pil- 
grims very much, and on his death-bed he gave 
what little he had to several of his white friends, 
as tokens of his love ; and all the Colony felt 
that they had lost 2i friend indeed. 

After much trouble and many hardships they 
obtained a considerable quantity of corn and 
beans, but as one of their boats was injured, 
they were obliged to leave a part of their pro- 
vision in the care of the Indians till another 
time. Capt. Standish afterwards went and found 



108 HISTORY OF 

it all safe. The captain made several other 
voyages to these parts after corn, and on one 
occasion he narrowly escaped being killed by 
an Indian. 

Edward. Why, what was the matter 1 
Mr. Allerton. I might have mentioned be- 
fore that a number of loose and profane English- 
men had been brought over by one Capt. Weston, 
and left at a place which is now called Wey- 
mouth, about 30 miles north of Plymouth. Capt. 
Weston intended to establish a colony there like 
that at Plymouth ; but the men that he left to 
commence a settlement were very unlike the 
Pilgrims. After living some time in a most ex- 
travagant manner, and frequently boasting that 
their colony would soon outgrow Plymouth, they 
at last came to want, and stole from the natives. 
This enraged the Indians, and they secretly laid 
a plot to cut them off. But fearing that the 
Pilgrims would make war upon them if they 
did, they concluded to muster force enough to 
destroy Plymouth also. So they sent a messen- 
ge lo he Indians on the Cape, and invited 
them to join the conspiracy. This messen- 
ger came while Capt. Standish was there after 
corn, and insulted him in many ways. The 



THE PILGRIMS. 109 

captain saw, too, that tbae natives there behaved 
differently from what they had done formerly. 
When he was coming away a large Indian, who 
had always before been a friend to the whiteSj 
now seemed to be more friendly than ever, and 
offered to assist the captain in carrying corn to 
the boat. At night he desired to stay with 
them, intending to kill the captain when he was 
asleep. But it happened to be a cold night, and 
Capt. Standish could not sleep as usual. The 
Indian observed this and asked, in a very 
friendly manner, what the matter was? The 
captain answered that he could not tell, but he 
had no inclination to sleep. It was afterwards 
found that the Indian was intending to murder 
him ; though nobody knew it at the time. 

Edicard. That was a narrow escape indeed ; 
but I suppose this broke up the plot against the 
English, did it not? 

3Ir. Allcrton. O no, the conspiracy was not 
stopped here, for Capt. Standish did not know 
anything about it then. Although the messen- 
ger came, as I said, while the white people were 
there, he was careful not to let them know what 
he wanted. But it came to light soon after ; 
and a most shocking affair it would have been, 



110 HISTORY OF 

if the Pilgrims had not discovered it just as they 
did. 

Emeline. I should like to hear how they 
found it out. 

Mr. Allerton. Massasoit informed them of it. 
But the circumstances are so providential that I 
must relate them. Before Capt. Standish re- 
turned from his dangerous voyage, news came 
to Plymouth that Massasoit was sick and near 
to death. Gov. Bradford immediately sent Mr. 
Winslow and another man to visit him, and 
carry some medicine. Hohamak also went as 
their guide. When they came to the place, the 
house was so full of people that they could 
hardly get in. The Indian priests were trying, 
by all their savage arts and conjurations, to cure 
their dying king. But it seemed all in vain; 
his sight was wholly gone, and his body was 
growing cold — yet he still had his senses. They 
informed him that his friends, the English, had 
come. He inquired who? and they told him 
Winslow. He then wished to speak with him * 
and when Mr. Winslow came where he lay, and 
took his hand, the kuig said, " Are you Wins- 
low?" He answered, '♦ Ves." Then the king 
twice repeated, '' O Winslow ! I shall never see 



THE PILGRIMS. HI 

you again." Mr. Winslow told him that the 
Governor of Plymouth, hearing of his sickness, 
could not come himself, hut had sent him some 
medicine. Massasoit immediately wished to 
take it. Mr. Winslow took some preserves with 
the point of his knife, and put it into his mouth, 
which he could hardly open. When it had dis- 
solved he swallowed the juice, and those who 
stood hy, were much rejoiced, saying that he 
had swallowed nothing before for two days. 
Mr. Winslow examined his mouth, and found 
It much furred, and the passage through his 
throat almost stopped. After his mouth and 
tongue had been cleansed, he swallowed much 
easier, and in half an hour they all could see a 
change in him. Presently his sight began to 
come to him. Mr. Winslow sent an Indian to 
Plyu)outh for something more, and offered to 
stay with Massasort till the messenger returned. 
The king was wonderfully pleased with such 
i unexpected kindness. Next day be desired Mr. 
Winslow to shoot some fowl and make hirn 
some English broth, such as he had tasted at 
Plymouth. Mr. Winslow went to work at the 
business, but Massasoit's appetite increased so 
fast that he could hardly wait till it was ready. 



112 HISTORY OF 

The king recovered rapidly, and acknowledged 
that Mr. Winslovv had been the means of saving 
his life. " Now I see," said he, " that the 
English are my friends, and love me ; and whilst 
I live I will never forget this kindness they have 
showed me." Then he told him about the plot 
which the Massachusetts Indians had secretly 
laid to destroy the English, and stated the cause 
of the conspiracy, and what tribes were engaged 
in it. He said that he had been urged to join 
them, but refused. He advised the Pilgrims to 
prevent it speedily, by taking some of the chief 
conspirators before it was too late. 

Emeline. Poor Massasoit ! he must have died 
soon if Mr. Winslow had not been there. 

Edward. And if he had died then, it is very 
likely that the English would not have heard of 
the plot till it was too late ! 

** And if they had not discovered it," said I, 
" till it burst forth in savage fury, what a horrid 
scene must have followed !" 

" Yes, truly," said Father Allerton, " I think 
we may set this down among the good provi- 
dences of God towards the pious Pilgrims." 

" But I am anxious to hear," said Edward, 
** how the Indian conspiracy turned out." 



THE PILGRIMS. 113 

3lr. Allcrton. When Gov. Bradford heard of 
this plot, he immediately laid it before the whole 
company, and asked their advice. It was soon 
agreed that Capt. Standish should go among the 
Massachusetts Indians with a sufficient number 
of armed men, and break up the conspiracy in 
the way that he should think best. Meanwhile 
a man came to Plymouth from Weston's planta- 
tion, and told a pitiful story about the miserable 
condition of the settlement. He said he dare 
not stay there any longer, for fear that the In- 
dians would cut them off. He had never been 
at Plymouth before, and coming without any 
guide, he missed his way, and by that means 
escaped two natives, who followed him for the 
purpose of taking his life in the woods. His 
account made Capt. Standish hasten his march. 
He took only eight men with him, and went im- 
mediately to the settlement. When he came 
there, he found the company almost in a starving 
condition, and constantly fearing the attacks of 
the savages. While Capt. Standish was there a 
number of the principal Massachusetts Indians 
came to the settlement, and tried to provoke him 
into a quarrel with then.. He watched their 
movements and heard their threats till he was 
10 



114 HISTORY OF 

convinced that there must be some fighting done 
A bloody contest followed, in which six Indians 
were killed ! The rest were astonished at the 
courage of Capt. Standish and his men, and 
fled away terrified into the swamps and thickets 

" Might not this affair have been settled 
without blood-shed ?" said I. 

3Jr. Allerton. It is difficult, sir, to tell. I 
know it seems shocking to take the lives of our 
fellow beings. If it could have been avoided, 
no doubt it would have been much better. And 
I am entirely of Mr. Robinson's mind, who said,, 
when he heard of it, that it would have been 
happy if they had converted some of the natives 
before they killed any. But when we consider 
the dangerous conspiracy which was formed by 
no less than eight tribes of Indians, it is quite 
doubtful whether nwre blood would not have 
been shed, and perhaps the whole colony de- 
stroyed, if some of the leading conspirators had 
not been killed in the outset. Among those 
that fell was a notable chief, together with that 
same bold and bloody Indian who came to 
Cape Cod for assistance while Capt. Standish 
was there, and also one of his brothers. All 
the Indians who had promised to join with the 



I 
THE PILGRIMS. 115 

Massachusetts were terrified by this transaction, 
and never joined them. So this was the end of 
that dangerous conspiracy, and also of Capt. 
Weston's settlement at Weymouth. 

Edward. Were Capt. Weston's men also 
killed in the fight ? 

3Ir, Allerton, O no, not a white man was 
hurt. But they had suffered so many things, 
that they wished to remove from that place. 
Capt. Standish offered to bring them to Ply- 
mouth, but they begged him rather to help 
them on their way to the eastward, that they 
might get on board the fishing vessels and return 
to England ; which he did. But before we 
leave them, I wish you would take particular 
notice that these were all stout, and able men 
when they came to live there ; and boasted that 
they " had no women and children, and weak 
ones," and would " never fall into such a condi- 
tion as the simple people at Plymouth had come to." 
But as I said before they were disorderly, profane 
persons ; they neglected the holy Sabbath, had 
no prayers, no religious meetings, and lived 
without God in the world. Let their example 
be a warning to you, my grandchildren ; and 
as we turn from them to the pious Pilgrims, let 



IIQ HISTORY OF 

US keep in mind the words of Paul : ''Godliness 
is profitable unlo all things, having promise of 
the life that now is, and of that which is to 
come." 

The Pilgrims, too, were in great extremities 
at this time, but God did not forsake them. 
Amid all their difficulties with the natives they 
were also suffering for want of food. They ex- 
pected supplies from England, but none came. 
They now began to feel that they could no 
longer look to others for help, but must depend 
upon their own labor and the blessing of God 
for a living. In the spring of 1623, they plant-? 
ed more corn than ever before. But by the 
time they had finished planting, their victuals 
were wholly spent. Many a time when they 
had taken one meal, they knew not where they 
should find the next. Every morning they had 
need to pray, *' Give us this day our daily 
bread;" and God always answered this prayer 
in one way or another. They had one boat 
left, and a fishing net, with which they caught 
bass : when theso failed, they dug clams for a 
living. In the month of June their hopes of a 
harvest were nearly blasted by a distressing 
droughty which withered up their corn, and 



THE PILGRIMS. 117 

made the grass look like dry hay. When 
Hobamak saw their cornfields in this sad state 
he appeared to be much alarmed for the Pil- 
grims, and said he feared they would lose all 
their corn and perish with hunger. " The 
Indians," said he, " can live in any way ; but 
the English must starve if the corn is cut off." 

In their distress the Pilgrims set apart a day 
for fasting, humiliation, and prayer, to seek 
help from God ; and continued their religious 
exercises eight or nine hours. God heard their 
fervent prayers and sent them an answer which 
filled every one with admiration. Although the 
morning of their fast day was clear, and the 
weather very hot and dry during all the fore- 
noon, yet before night it began to rain, and 
gentle showers continued to fall for many days, so 
that the ground became thoroughly soaked, and 
the drooping corn revived. 

" This was a most remarkable answer to 
prayer," said I, '' and reminds us of God's 
promise, * while they are yet speaking, I will 
hear.' " 

Mr. Allerton. True; the providence of God 
was so clearly seen, that the Indians said to the 
10* 



118 HiSTOKY OF 

Pilgrims, " Now we see that the Englishmen's 
God is a good God, for he has heard you, and 
sent you rain without storms, and tempests, and 
thunder, which usually come with our rain and 
break down our corn — surely your God is a 
good God." Our pious fathers did not soon 
forget this kindness of God. At a convenient 
time they set apart a day for public thanksgiv- 
ing, and praised their heavenly benefactor for 
his goodness, as heartily as they had prayed for 
his mercy. They afterwards regularly kept an 
annual fast in the spring, and also a thanks- 
giving in the fall, which practice has come 
down to our days, though I fear it is seldom ob- 
served now in the pious manner of the Pilgrims. 

Emeline. Well, I am sure I shall think of 
them next thanksgiving day, and will try to 
feel as they felt on those days. 

Mr. Allerton. Your intention is a good one, 
my child, and I hope you will then do as you 
now say. But if you are as thankful in propor- 
tion to your blessings as they were, liow very 
thankful you must be, Emeline ! They had 
few comforts and many afflictions; you have 
many comforts and, I may say, 710 afflictions. 



THE PILGRIMS. 1 19 

Echvard. How did their harvest come in, 
rthat fall ? 

Mr. Allerton. By the blessing of God they 
had a plentiful harvest. But it is sad to think 
of their sufferings before their corn was ripe. 
They lived more than six months almost en- 
tirely on fish and fowl and ground-nuts — often 
-without a full meal of these — and all this time 
they had not a morsel of bread ! In July, the 
ship Ann came to Plymouth and brought some 
more of their friends : others came soon after. 
The Pilgrims were glad to see them, but the best 
dish that they could set before them was a boil- 
ed lobster, without bread, or any thing else but 
a cup of cold water. Their friends pitied their 
sufferings and all hoped soon to enjoy better 
days together, as they did after the next har- 
vest was gathered. 

I thought that I should have finished the 
story of the Pilgrims this evening, but I per- 
ceive that I shall not have time ; for there are 
several important things of which I have not 
yet told. If you are so much interested in this 
subject as to remember what I have related, I 
will tell you the rest to-morrow evening. 



1 20 HISTORY OP 

What can you recollect of Gov. Carver's death and char- 
acter ? Who succeeded him ? Tell me something about 
Hobamak and his affair with Corbiiant. What hardships did 
the Pilgrims suffer during the next winter ? W^hat happened 
between the Narragansetts and the Pilgrims ? Tell me about 
Squanlum's death. Relate the circumstances of Capt. Stan- 
dish's narrow escape. Give some account of Mr. Winslow's 
visit to Massassoit when he was sick. How was the Indian 
conspiracy broken up ? What other trials had the Pilgrims 
at this time ? Tell me about their fast and thanksgiving. 



Tlir. PILCJRIIVIS. 121 



CHAPTER VII. 

■" The Lord our God be with us, as lie was with our fathers; 
that he may incline our hearts unlo him, to walk in all his 
ways and to keep his coqimandments, and hi^ statutes which he 
commanded our fathers.'' — Solomon, 

" Ye churches, which to God 
Rise where our fathers trod, 

Guard well your trust — 
The faiih that braved the sea, 
The truth that made them free, 
Their cherished purity, 

Their garncr'd dust."' — Pierpont. 

On the following evetiing wlicn wg had taken 
oiu' seats around our venerable instructor to 
hear the conclusion of iiis story of the Pilgrims, 
Father Allerton thus began : — 

'" We have followed the first settlers of New- 
England through nearly three years of toil and 
suffering in a savage wilderness. A brighter 
day now begins to dawn upon their liistory. 
Their severest trials ended with the year 1623, 
and many of their friends from England joined 
them about that tims." 



122 HISTORY OF 

Edioard. How many in all were there now 
at Plymouth 1 

Mr. Allerton. Their number had increased 
to about 180, and the town contained thirty-two 
dwelling houses ; they also began to keep cattle, 
and goats, and swine, which were sent from 
England. But although they were in more 
comfortable circumstances than formerly, still 
you must not suppose that they had the con- 
veniences which we enjoy. 

In the beginning of the year 1624, when the 
time for choosing officers came, Gov. Bradford 
desired that they would not elect him again ; 
for he said if there was any honor in being 
Governor, others deserved it as much as he : 
and if it was a burden, it was but right that 
others should bear their part of it. But still 
they chose him again, for they were unwilling 
to release so worthy a man from that important 
office. However, at his request they increased 
the number of assistants io Jive. Hitherto there 
had been but one. 

" It is interesting," said I, " to behold such 
modesty in rulers, and such attachment between 
them and their subjects." 

3Ii\ Allerton. Ah, sir, the first Governors of 



THE PILGRIMS. 123 

New-England were men of God; their modesty 
was Christian Immility. They did not seek 
their own honor and interest, but the glory of 
God and the welfare of the people. They felt 
that it was a solemn thing to rule, and instead of 
coveting the honor, they often declined it. One 
fact will show this. In 1632, a law was passed 
in the colony, that whoever refused the office of 
Governor when he was properly chosen to it, 
should be fined £2Q, unless he had been Gov- 
ernor the year before; and whoever should re- 
fuse the office of assistant, should be fined ^10. 

" Such a law," said I, ** will never be need- 
ed again, for men generally love authority too 
well to decline it when offered." 

Mr. Allerton. And yet these early Governors 
were able men and as well qualified to rule, as 
any in our day. This same Gov. Bradford was 
a man of learning and wisdom. lie was well 
acquainted with history, philosophy, and the- 
ology : he could speak the Dutch and French 
languages with ease ; was master of the Latin 
and Greek ; and studied the Hebrew more than 
either, that he might see with his own eyes, as 
he said, the oracles of God in their native 



124 HISTOilY OF 

beauty. His wisdom was proved on many try- 
ing occasions. I will mention only one. 

Before they had any preacher at Plymouth, 
except Elder Brewster, a minister by the name 
of John Lyford came over from England. At 
first he appeared like a humble Christian, and 
they employed him as their preacher, and treat- 
ed him with great respect. Even the governor 
used to ask his advice in important affairs, as 
he did Elder Brewster's. In a short time, how- 
ever, it appeared that Mr. Lyford was nothing 
better than a '' wolf in sheep's clothing." For 
he and one John Oldham began to lay a plot 
by which the Puritan religion would have been 
overthrown, and the form of government changed, 
if the Governor had not outwitted them. They 
were very secret m all their doings, but still 
their conduct was suspected. At length, when 
the ship that brought liim over was ready to 
return, Lyford was known to be very busy in 
writing, and sent many letters to England by the 
Captain. Gov. Bradford, fearing that he was in 
some mischief, took a boat with a few friends, 
and went out with the ship several miles. He 
told the captain what he feared, and called fot 



THE PILGRIMS. 125 

Lyford's and Oldham's letters. When they 
were opened it was found that they contained 
all manner of slander and falsehood, calculated 
to ruin the colony. In one of the letters Lyford 
stated what he and Oldham intended to do as 
soon as the ship was gone. The Governor took 
some of these letters, and copies of others, and 
returned to Plymouth, but said nothing ; for he 
wished to see first what they would do. After 
watching the conduct of these two men for some 
time, it seemed evident that they were trying to 
raise a party for some dark purpose ; so the Gov- 
ernor called a court and sent for them to appear. 
When the charges were brought against them, 
at first they denied them. Then Gov. Bradford 
read their letters, which shut their mouths, and 
proved them guilty. The court sentenced them 
both to leave the colony. Upon this, Oldham 
became furious, and called upon those who stood 
by to rise and help him get revenge ; but no 
one answered or moved. He was ordered to 
leave the town immediately, but Lyford was suf- 
fered to remain six months, with the hope that 
he would repent of his wickedness, and do bet- 
ter. And, indeed, he did seem to repent ; for he 
shed many tears, and made long confessions, 

n 



126 HISTORY OF 



^ 



and said that his punislimeiit was far Jess than 
he deserved, and that God might justly lay inno- 
cent blood to his charge. His penitence ap- 
peared so deep, that they thought proper to let 
him remain at Plymouth ; but his conduct after- 
wards, was, if possible, worse than before, and 
he was finally sent away. 

Edward. What became of these two men at 
last? 

Mr. Allcrton. Oldham sailed to Virginia 
soon after his banishment, and during a dread- 
ful storm which overtook the vessel at sea, and 
which threatened them with instant death, he 
confessed all the wrongs he had done the church 
at Plymouth, and promised God that he would 
mend his ways if his life might be spared. He 
arrived safely to land, and ever after spake of 
the Pilgrims with respect. Some years after- 
wards, while he was trading with the natives, he 
got into a quarrel with them, and an Indian 
slew him with a hatchet. As for Lyford, he 
travelled about to different places, and finally 
died a miserable death at Virginia. 

Emeline. Did you not say just now that he 
was a minister, and preached to the Pilgrims? 

Mr. Allerton. Yes, my child, but still he was 



THE PILGRIMS. 127 

a bad man, as I fear some ministers are now. 
The Pilgrims not knowing his character, were 
desirous that he should preach to them till their 
beloved pastor, Mr. Robinson, should come. 

Emeline. O where was Mr. Robinson all 
this while ? Why did he not come to Plymouth 
before ? 

Mr. Alhrton. He was still in Holland, though 
he wished to be at Plymouth, and the settlers 
were very anxious to have him there. But some 
of his former enemies in England prevented it. 
Several English merchants, who had concern in 
the Plymouth plantation, disliked Mr. Robinson, 
because he was a Puritan, and therefore did 
what they could to keep him back. Mr. Robin- 
son and most of those who remained with him 
in Holland were poor, and unable to hire a pas- 
sage to New England, and the people here were 
not yet able to help them. However, they hoped 
soon to do it, and were looking forward with joy 
to the day, when their minister and the rest of 
their dear friends would come to their new set- 
tlement ; but God, whose ways are as high 
above ours, as the heavens are above the earth, 
saw fit to take him to a better country than this. 
He died in Holland on the first day of March, 



128 HISTORY OF 

in the year 1625, aged 50 years. He was held 
in high esteem by the city of Leyden and its 
university for his learning and piety, so that the 
magistrates, ministers, and scholars, mourned 
his death as a public loss, and followed him to 
the grave. Thus were the fond hopes of the 
Pilgrims suddenly turned into disappointment ; 
but they saw the hand of a righteous God in this, 
as in every other affliction, and did not murmur, 
though they sincerely mourned over their loss. 
His widow and children were brought to Ply- 
mouth about four years after, with thirty-five 
other families of his church. The expense of 
their voyage was cheerfully borne by their 
brethren here, although it amounted to more 
than 1 ,600 dollars. 

" This was a rare instance of Christian affec- 
tion," said I. 

*' It certainly was," said Father Allerton, 
*' considering the poor circumstances of the 
colonists at this time ; but, sir, it was no more 
rare than that pure, evangelical piety, from 
which this brotherly love flowed as a stream 
from its fountain." 

Emeline. What did they do for a minister 
now 1 or did they have none ? 



I 



THE PILGRIMS. 129 

Mr. Allerton. We cannot suppose that they 
would be willing to do without any preaching, 
after all that they had suffered for the sake of 
religion. They came into this wilderness that 
they might live " in the enjoyment of God's or- 
dinances, according to the primitive pattern in 
his word." A good minister, therefore, was 
what they desired more than anything else : yet 
they could not obtain one for a number of years. 
Not long after their troubles with Mr. Lyford, a 
young minister by the name of Rogers, was sent 
over from England : but he became deranged, 
and they sent him back the next year. Then 
Mr. Ralph Smith came among them, and they 
settled him as their pastor, but he was dismissed 
after a few years, and again they were left desti- 
tute. Still they used to meet twice every Sab- 
bath, and when they had no other preacher, their 
good Elder Brewster instructed them, who was the 
means of training many souls for heaven, though 
he never could be persuaded to settle as a reg- 
ular minister. ** It pleased the Lord at last," as 
they expressed it, " to send them Mr. John Rey- 
ner, an able and godly man, of a meek and 
humble spirit, the fruit of whose labors they 
enjoyed many years with much comfort, in peace 
W 



130 HISTORY OF 

and agreement." He was not only a good 
preacher, but he also had an excellent faculty of 
instructing children, whom he sometimes met by 
themselves and heard them say their catechism. 

Emcline. I suppose they used to attend the 
Sabbath school besides, did they not 1 

Edward. Sabbath schools, Emeline, were 
not kept so long ago as that. Mr. Robert 
Raikes, you know, began Sabbath schools, and I 
believe he has not been dead a great many years. 

Mr, Allerton. You are correct, Edward ; the 
kind of Sabbath schools which we now have, 
began in the year 1782 — more than 150 years 
after the Pilgrims came to Plymouth. But still 
the first settlers of New England had what 
might be called Sabbath schools and Bible 
classes, both. You have already heard what 
was Mr. Reyner's manner. He was minister of 
Plymouth church about 20 years. Some time 
afterwards, when Mr. Cotton was settled there, 
he commenced catechising the children regularly 
once a fortnight, and the Elder assisted him. 
Besides this he had another meeting for the 
heads of families once in two months, which 
resembled a Bible class. He used to give out 
questions from the Bible, and they would all 



THE PILGRIMS. 131 

bring in written answers at the next meeting. 
Then the minister read all these answers, and 
gave his own to each question. 

** This is exactly the plan," said 1, " that my 
minister now pursues. I had thought that Bible 
class instruction was a late improvement, but it 
seems that the Pilgrims understood it in their 
day." 

Mr. Allerton. The same may be said respect- 
ing several other important subjects. They 
went before the age in which they lived, and 
struck out paths which appear new to us when 
we find them, because they have been buried up 
so long. For example, Temperance Societies 
were never heard of till within a few years past, 
and yet many of the Pilgrims acted upon the 
same principles, which are now encouraged by 
these valuable societies. That holy man, Elder 
Brewster, abstained entirely from all kinds of 
ardent spirit for many years before he died ; and 
several others did the same. Yet we should 
think they needed it in their toilsome pilgrimage, 
if ever it was needed. But notwithstanding all 
his hardships and abstinence from spirit, Elder 
Brewster reached the good old age of eighty-four 
years. 



1352 HISTORY OF 

Emetine. I wish you would tell us something 
more about him — he was such a good man. 

Mr. Allerton. I will add a few words respect- 
ing his last days. Elder Brewster died at Ply- 
mouth in the spring of 1644. He breathed his 
last in the midst of his friends, without a groan 
or a struggle. So peacefully did he leave the 
world, that he seemed to those who stood around 
his dying bed, like one going to sleep. " Mark 
the perfect man and behold the upright ; for the 
end of that man is peace." 

It would require many hours to tell all that 
deserves to be told in honor of this venerable 
Pilgrim. In the ancient records of the first 
church at Plymouth it is written, that ** he was 
wise and discreet ; of a cheerful spirit \ very 
sociable and pleasant among his friends ; of an 
humble and modest mind ; of a peaceable dispo- 
sition ; undervaluing himself, and his own abil- 
ities, and sometimes overvaluing others; inoffen- 
sive and innocent in his life and conversation, 
which gained him the love of those without, as 
well as those within. Yet he would tell them 
plainly of their faults and evils, both publicly and 
privately, but in such a manner as usually was 
well received from him." Many other such 



THE PILGRIMS. 133 

things stand there recorded of him, by those who 
lived when he did. But I doubt not that a still 
better record is made in the Lamb's Book of 
Life, where his name is written. 

" It would afford me much satisfaction," said 
I, " to visit the grave of this man of God, before 
I return." 

Mr. Allerion. Ah, sir, his grave, like that of 
many other Pilgrims of New England, cannot 
be found ; his remains were interred in Ply- 
mouth burying-ground, but no one now living 
can tell where. His dust, with that of Governor 
Carver, will slumber in obscurity till the resur- 
rection of the just. 

" But I am still more surprised," said I, ** to 
hear that the place of Gov. Carver'5 grave is not 
fcnown." 

Mr. Allerton. It is thought, but not certainly 
icnown, that his bones now lie under the corner 
stone of the Univcrsalist meeting-house in Ply- 
mouth ! At least, it is certain that he was 
buried, with all those who died during the first 
winter, on the bank just above the Forefathers' 
Rock, and not in the present burying-ground. 
That meeting-house now stands upon the very 
spot, and wheji its foundation was laid, the 



134 HISTORY OF 

bones of some of the Pilgrims were found and 
placed, as I said, under tlie corner stone ! 

Edward. Why did they build the house 
where they were buried? 

Mr. Allerton. Houses had stood there, ever 
since the town was settled. . It has been handed 
down by old people, that the graves in that spot 
were levelled down soon after they were made, 
that the Indians might not know how many of 
the white people died during the first winter. 
Gov. Bradford was buried on the hill, and his 
grave is still seen. 

Edivard. How long did he live, after Elder 
Brewster died ? 

Mr. Allerton. About 13 years. His name, 
too, will no doubt be had in everlasting remem- 
brance. You recollect that he was the second 
Governor of Plymouth. Well, he was chosen to 
that office more than 30 years, and was of un- 
speakable service to the colony, and to the 
church. At length, in the year 1657, he was 
taken sick, and on the day before his death, his 
mind was filled with unutterable joy, and the 
full assurance of eternal glory. He died in the 
69th year of his age, deeply lamented by all who 
knew him. His whole history is very interest" 



THE PILGRIMS. 135 

ing, but I shall add but a word or two to what 
I have already said. When he was young he 
joined the Puritans, and all his friends ridiculed 
him for it. When they saw that this did not 
move him, they threatened him ; but he frankly 
told them that he was not only willing to be re- 
proached, but to part with every thing that was 
dear to him for the sake of Christ, and thanked 
God that he had made him willing to do so. He 
was Governor of Plymouth during the period of 
its infancy and danger, yet he never was dis- 
couraged. He had set his hope in God, and 
nothing could disturb him. And he has long 
since gone to his eternal rest, where he will 
never be sorry that he suffered so much for 
Christ. 

When I was a child I learned some verses 
which he wrote a short time before his death ; 
and though there is not much poetry in them, 
they give us an interesting sketch of his life. I 
will repeat a few sentences, if I have not quite 
forgotten them. 

From my young years in days of youth, 
God did make known to me his truth. 
And called me from my native place. 
For to enjoy the means of grace. 



136^ HISTORY OF' 

In wilderness he did me guide. 

And in strange lands for me provide. 

In fears and wants, through weal and wa« 

A pilgrim pass'd I, to and fro ; 

Oft left of those whom I did trust. 

How vain it is to rest on dust ! 

A man of sorrows 1 have been. 

And many changes I have seen ; 

Wars, wants, peace, plenty, have I known ; 

And some advanced, others thrown down. 

■5f ***** * 

My days are spent, old age is come, 
My strength it fails, my glass near run ; 
Now I will wait, when work is done. 
Until my happy change is come. 

The children were highly pleased with Gov. 
Bradford's poetry, and wished that their grand- 
father could recollect more of it. But he told 
them that he had an old book somewhere in the 
house which contained the whole, and he would 
endeavor to find it for them at another time. 

** I must now go back," said he, " to the 
year 1630, to tell you a few words about the 
Massachusetts Colony which commenced at that 
time, and then I shall close my story. 

** But I thought you had been talking about 
Massachusetts all this while," said Edward with 
some surprise. 



THE PILGRIMS. 137 

Mr. Allcrton. O no, my son, but I see the 
cause of your mistake and will remove it. — Ply- 
nouth Colony extended over but a small part of 
vhat is now the State of Massachusetts. About 
len years after it began to be settled, another 
itnd much larger settlement was made around 
ioston, called the Colony of Massac7msetts Bay. 
it was commenced two years before at Neum- 
leak, which they named Salem. In 1630, no 
hss than fifteen hundred persons landed, some 
rt Salem, but most of them at Charlestown ; and 
loston soon became the principal town in that 
Colony. 

Emetine. Pray where did so many people 
iome from 1 

Mr. Allerton. They came from England, 
%v\iere the Plymouth people came from, and for 
the same reason — persecution drove them here ! 
They were Puritans, and rather than give up 
thit religion, they fled to the wild woods of 
America. In the course of twelve years fotir 
thousand people, and more than seventy min- 
isters came from England to this country ! 
Most of these, like the first settlers of Plymouth, 
were holy men, who cheerfully forsook the dear 
delights of home and native land, for the love 
12 



138 HISTORY OF 

they bore to Christ and his cause. Their min- 
isters were men of God, and men of learning- — 
bold and fearless defenders of the truth. Sone 
of them had been imprisoned, many had been 
fined, and all had been reproached for their 
Puritan religion. As they had "come out of 
much tribulation," they were better fitted to^ 
encounter the difficulties of a new settlement n 
this wilderness. 

Edward. They were so much like the Ff- 
grims, that I wonder why they did not cometG^ 
Plymouth and live with them. 

Mr. Allerton. They had found a more cai-^ 
venient place ; a spot which the Plymouth people- 
had often visited, and where they would hai^e 
settled, if they had known the situation of the- 
place when they first landed. However, you; 
may well suppose that a strong friendship grew 
up between the Pilgrims and their Massachusetts- 
neighbors, since they resembled each other so* 
much in their character and condition. The 
two colonies helped one another, and felt like 
children of the same family, and finally were 
united into one. By the blessing of God upoa 
their labors they grew rapidly and spread them- 
selves over the whole of New Enorland. 



THE PILGRIMS. 139 

Such, my grandchildren, were the people who 
•cleared up" this wilderness, and planted it with 
towns, and churches, and schools. It was by 
the toils and sufferings of such men, that this 
great and happy nation began its existence. 
The foundations were laid in the prayers and 
tears of the pious Pilgrims, whose bones are now 
sleeping in the church-yards of New England. 
Their sepulchres are with us unto this day, but 
where are their virtues ? Their names are held 
in remembrance by their posterity, but what has 
become of their piety 1 Where shall we now 
look for such governors, and ministers, and 
Christians, as were found among the Fathers of 
New England ! Ah, when will another gene- 
ration arise, so holy in heart and life, so reso- 
lute in defence of the truth, so self-denying in 
the cause of Christ, so fearless of human au- 
thority in religious matters, and so much afraid 
to break the least of God's commands ? 

Father Allerton became quite animated here 
in his delivery, and as he uttered the last words 
he cast a look of the most tender anxiety upon 
his grandchildren ; then leaning back in his 
arm-chair, he paused, and covered his face with 
his handkerchief. No one interrupted the 



140 HISTORY OF 

silence for several moments; for the children 
seemed lost in serious reflection, and I was un- 
willing to divert their minds, by any remarks of 
my own. At length the old gentlemen recover- 
ing his usual posture, said, 

" I have now finished my story of the Pil- 
grims ; — but I hope you feel that you, my grand- 
children, have not done with this subject yet. 
Remember icliat sort of people your forefathers 
icere, and folio to their example.'^ 

When Father Allerton had said this, he 
questioned the children. 

What kind of men were the first Governors of New England ? 
Who was John I.yford and what was his character ? Why 
did not Mr. Robinson come to Plymoiiih ? Did the rest of his 
church ever come ? How ? Tell me something about the first 
ministers of Plymouth. Give an account of Elder Brewster's 
death and character. Also of Governor Bradford's. Repeal 
what you recollect about the Massacl)usetts Colony. What use 
should you make of this story of the Pilgrims ? 



As the evening was not quite spent, we all 
conversed awhile on the patterns of virtue and 
piety which had been brought to our notice in 



THE PILGRIMS. 141 

the course of the story, after which we sung the 
following beautiful hymn, composed by Mrs. 
Hemans, and then closed with family devotions. 

The breaking waves dash'd high 
On the stern and rock-bound coast. 

And the woods, against a stormy sky. 
Their giant branches tost. 

And the heavy night hung dark 

The hills and waters o'er. 
When a band of exiles moor'd their bark 

On the wild New England shore. 

Not as the conqueror conies. 

They, the true hearted came. 
Not with the roll of the stirring drums. 

And the trumpet that sings of fame ; 

Not as the flying come. 

In silence and in fear, — 
They shook the depths of the desert's gloom 

With hymns of lofty cheer. 

Amidst the storm they sang. 

And the stars heard and the sea ] 
And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang 

To the anthem of the free ! 

The ocean-eagle soar'd 

From his nest by the white wave's foam. 
And the rocking pines of the forest roar'd — 

This was their welcome home ! 



142 THE PILGRIMS. 

There were men with hoary hair. 

Amidst that Pilgrim band — 
Why had they come to wither there 

Away from their childhood's land ? 

There was woman's fearless eye. 

Lit by her deep love's truth ; 
There was manhood's brow serenely high 

And the fiery heart of youth. 

What sought they thus afar ? — 

Bright jewels of the mine ? 
The wealth of seas, the spoils of war ? — 

They sought a faith's pure shrine ! 

Ah, call it holy ground. 

The soil where first they trod ! 

They have left unstain'd what there they found- 
Freedom to worship God ! 



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